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THESE FORTY YEARS 




REV. J. HUDSON TAYLOR. 



D-ontispiece 



THESE FORTY YEARS 

A Short History 

OF THE 

China Inland Mission 



BY 

F. HOWARD TAYLOR 



M.D., London, M.R.C.P. 
F.R.C.S., England, B.S. 



CHINA INLAND MISSION 
702 Witherspoon Building, - Philadelphia, 

AND 

507 Church Street, Toronto. 



PHILADELPHIA : 

PEPPER PUBLISHING COMPANY 

609 Lippincott Building. 






THE L;BR/ 
CONGR 


,RY OF 

ESS, 


Two Copies 


Received 


JUN 20 1 


f\ Copytignt 

FlvAi^ / C^ - 

GLASS £L 


Entry 


-IAD* 

XXc. No. 


COPY 


B. 



Copyrighted, 1903. 
PEPPER PUBLISHING COMPANY. 



NORTH AMERICAN MEMBERS AND FRIENDS 



OF THE 



CHINA INLAND MISSION 



IN MEMORY OF 



GREAT KINDNESS 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 
Preface 13 

PART I— In Outline. 

I Introductory ! 17 

II The Mission — An Outline Sketch 21 

III The Need for the Mission 29 



PART II— In More Detail. 

I The People of China 39 

II An Effort to Meet the Need 44 

III The Inception of the Work 48 

IV The Man for the Work 53 

V Purpose and Preparation 57 

VI Formative Experience in China 68 

VII Inauguration 85 

VIII The First Four Years 104 

IX The Next Six Years 166 

X How God Opened the Far Interior 210 

XI The First Women to go Inland 249 

XII An Ideal Missionary 2^2 

XIII Other Seventy Also 279 

XIV A New Sphere for Woman 285 

XV Another Answer to Prayer 298 

XVI Ask What Ye Will 315 

XVII Extension; or, The Guiding Hand of God 322 



PART III — Conclusion : Recent Years. 

I A Memorable Journey 337 

II Light and Shade 351 

III Blessedly Uneventful Years 361 

IV The Boxer Crisis 386 

V Reorganization 407 

VI Reconstruction 414 

VII The Present Situation 422 

VIII The Outlook 429 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Rev. J. Hudson Taylor Frontispiece 

Facing Page 

Part of the Shanghai Headquarters 21 

" Never Out of Pain " 35 

Going to Visit Them . 35 

Rev. J. Hudson Taylor 53 

Shanghai 53 

Front Page of the Old " Occasional Paper " 95 r- 

1 ' In the Midst of Magnificent Scenery " 128 - 

A Typical Country Scene in South China 150 

Temple at Wen-Chau 182 * 

' ' The Nine Still Unoccupied Provinces " 199 ' 

On the Way to Ho-nan ; the Rocky Barrow Road ......... 204 . - 

Entrance of East Suburb of Ru-ning Fu , 204 

Mr. Robert Powell Traveling by Barrow in Ho-nan 214 

Mule Carts and Escort, in Troublous Times 214 

Coming Down the Rapids of the Yang-tse 222 

In the Imperial Palace Grounds , 222 

Horse Market, Tai-yuan 232 ' 

Typical Main Street in a North China City 273 

Market in North China «... 301 

C. I. M. Home and Office in Toronto 325 * 

C. I. M. Headquarters in London 329 ■ 

C. I. M. Boys' School at Chefoo 369 

Temple in Shansi ,,..,.., 376 

The Ancestral Burying Place 380 

Engaged in the Carrying Trade , 392 v 

Harrowing a Rice Field with a Water-Buffalo 392 



PKEFACE. 



"Remember" — "forget not," said the Lord to 
Israel, "all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led 
thee, these forty years." 

It is just forty years now since the earliest be- 
ginnings of the China Inland Mission. The summer 
of 1862 saw the first answer to Mr. Hudson Taylor's 
prayer for five missionaries, for Emg-po and the 
work he had left behind two years before, when in- 
valided home. 

He was sure that God would call and send them, 
in answer to believing prayer. He was equally sure 
that God would remember and keep them, far away 
upon the field. And he was not disappointed. 

That prayer answered, he went on to ask for more, 
in 1865, and to attempt larger things for God. So, 
praying and believing, the work has grown and ex- 
tended "these forty years," until now the C. I. M. 
numbers eight hundred missionaries and eight 
hundred native helpers, carrying on settled work at 
three hundred stations and out-stations, in fifteen of 
the eighteen provinces. And through God's blessing 
upon the work, from the beginning, more than 
twenty-five thousand souls have been brought to a 
saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And if 
the service involves sacrifice, and even suffering — 

13 



14 PREFACE. 

when the eternal welfare of untold multitudes is at 
stake — is it not worth while ? Besides, "doth Job 
serve God for naught V 9 

The members of the Mission, drawn from many 
lands and from all the leading evangelical denomina- 
tions, are supported, month by month, by funds that 
come in through the mail, without collection or ap- 
peal. And so unfailing has been the gracious pro- 
vision of God, that the Mission has never been in 
debt, though funds are very rarely in hand before 
they are actually needed. God's clocks keep perfect 
time. 

May the story of what God has wrought through 
this Mission, in answer to prayer, be an encourage- 
ment to those who may read it. And may we learn 
to trust Him in all things, no matter how great or 
how small. "He is faithful that promised." "Able 
also to perform." 



PART I. 



IN OUTLINE 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY. 

Under a profound conviction that the evangeliza- 
tion of China was God's purpose, — that God wished 
its people, and all people, to hear about the Lord 
Jesus, — the China Inland Mission was organized in 
1865. At that time inland China was as dark as 
night. ISTot a ray of the coining dawn was to be seen, 
save on the eastern coast line and in one or two places 
on the lower reaches of the Yang-tse. 

Not only so, but China was practically closed. To 
go inland, even a short distance, involved great hard- 
ship and peril, and was liable to end in arrest and 
disgrace. Many who knew very well, and cared not 
a little, said, "It cannot be done." 

But God the Son had said, "Preach the Gospel to 
every creature," and what God commands is always 
possible, because God can do it. 

And God did it. It cost a great deal to His serv- 
ants who went. It was never meant to be other- 
wise. It cost Himself much to save the world, poten- 
tially. Redemption is costly at every stage. The 
pioneers of inland China counted the cost, and gave 
it gladly. The result we all know, at any rate in 

17 



18 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

part. Through their labors and the work of the mis- 
sionary army which has joined hands in the work, 
from many lands and under many Boards, day i3 
already dawning in China. 

The day-dawn has been overcast by a terrific 
storm, it is true. But the world is forming its own 
opinion as to whether this has been due to the peace- 
ful preaching and practical proving of the Gospel of 
love and good-will or to rapacious foreign aggression. 
We know which would be most likely to stir up 
trouble here at home ! 

Already the clouds have lifted; the workers have 
returned to their stations, many of which are several 
months' journey up country. May we not hope, must 
we not pray, that these things may be caused to turn 
out "rather to the furtherance of the Gosper' by Him 
Who "worketh all things according to the good pleas- 
ure of His will?" God reigneth; His shall be the 
victory. 

In one brief generation, "What hath God 
wrought!" Then, not a soul enlightened in all the 
vast territory of inland China. Now, hundreds of 
churches dotted all over the country, from the Great 
Wall on the north to the borders of Ton-kin, from 
Nankin away west to Thibet. Then, in 1865, less 
than three thousand Protestant Christians all told, 
including Chinese colonists down in the Malay penin- 
sula. Now, including believers not yet baptized and 
the children of Christian families, not fewer than a 
quarter of a million, in China alone. 



INTRODUCTORY. 19 

The dawn has come. May we not confidently ex- 
pect, and pray and work for the Coming Day ? 

An appreciative newspaper report of a missionary 
meeting ended as follows: "The venerable speaker 
concluded a long and most interesting address by 
stating that the members of this Mission were de- 
pendent upon chance providences for a scanty sub- 
sistence." The venerable speaker was the Rev. J. 
Hudson Taylor, and the mission was the China In- 
land Mission. 

True, the Mission has no income but that which 
comes in answer to prayer; but it does not come by 
chance ! True, the work only costs a little more 
than three hundred and fifty dollars a worker per 
annum, including the considerable extra expense of 
furlough, and it is run on economical lines ; but — ask 
a C. I. M. member if God's provision is scanty, and 
see what he will say ! 

I suppose that its missionaries calculate, if He 
withholds "no good thing from them that walk up- 
rightly," they are all right. That is, if they are 
walking uprightly; and if they are not, and good 
things are withheld, the sooner they get right the 
better. 

This calculation has worked well for thirty-seven 
years, ever since the work was started. The Mission 
has never been a penny in debt. Some of its workers 
have occasionally been short, for a brief testing time, 
but never have had to go without a meal. All their 



20 THESE FOKTY YEARS. 

needs and most of their wants have been met with a 
bountiful hand. 

A suitable candidate has never been refused for 
lack of funds. If the funds have been lacking, he 
has simply been accepted and invited to join in ask- 
ing God to send him out; and the money has been 
sent, and the man has gone, and has perhaps been 
none the worse for having prayed himself into the 
work. 

Furloughs are sometimes a difficulty. But when 
funds are needed to send workers home an appeal is 
made for money to Him to Whom it all belongs, so 
He says. And He sends it. 

Ever since the work began its history has been one 
of extension. There has never been a retrenchment 
from shortness of supplies. God has supplied all the 
need. Is that strange ? At long intervals consolida- 
tion rather than expansion has been dictated by the 
Great Treasurer, by His sending only what was 
sufficient for existing needs. For instance, He did 
so during the year or two before the recent troubles. 
"We know why, now. What use to open new stations 
for the Boxers to close, too soon for the infant 
churches to stand alone? 

It seems to work well — trusting in God to fulfill 
His promises. The members of the China Inland 
Mission have not found living by faith in God the 
same thing as depending "on chance providences for 
a scanty subsistence !" 



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CHAPTEE II. 



THE MISSION AN OUTLINE SKETCH. 

The China Inland Mission is an association of 
missionaries which was suggested and founded in 
1865 by the Eev. J. Hudson Taylor, with the avowed 
hope and purpose of commencing the evangelization 
of the entirely untouched interior of China. 

By the blessing of God it has succeeded in its 
original aim beyond the hopes of its founder, and 
now numbers over eight hundred missionaries, from 
many lands and from all the leading evangelical de- 
nominations, together with an equal number of 
native helpers. Its members are working in all of 
the eleven provinces of the interior, which were with- 
out the Gospel in 1865; it has settled stations and 
many established churches in ten, and has done itin- 
erant work in the eleventh ; it has also many stations 
in inland districts of provinces on the coast. In all, 
there are missionaries in one hundred and sixty sta- 
tions, and an equal number of out-stations in charge 
of native helpers. 

The way God has dealt with the Mission in the 
matter of funds has been remarkable and very 
gracious, and has not only strengthened the faith of 
its own members, but of many other workers in all 
parts of the world. When the work was being in- 

21 



22 THESE FOBTY YEARS. 

augurated it was felt to be of great importance, and 
was a matter of constant concern to Mr. Taylor and 
his friends, that the new mission should not inter- 
fere in any way with existing missionary work. It 
was determined never to take up collections, lest the 
contributions of the churches to their own Boards 
should be diminished, and this decision was come to 
the more readily, because it was realized that God 
could just as easily provide in other ways. If God 
wished this work to be done, and they obeyed His 
command and set about it, He would be sure to look 
after His side of the contract! Were they not 
promised, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His 
righteousness, and all these things shall be added 
unto you ?" 

As a matter of fact, all these years every need of 
the work, large or small, has been met as it has 
arisen, by moneys sent in unasked — usually through 
the post — in answer to prayer. "He abideth faithful. 
He cannot deny Himself." 

It was manifest that if no human means were used 
to collect funds, no collections taken and no appeals 
sent out, the work could go on only so long as it had 
God's approval. And herein was at once its weak- 
ness and its strength. It was profoundly important, 
obviously, to have the right workers, men and women 
of faith and spiritual power, with a single eye to 
God's glory. It was essential that the work should be 
done in Scriptural ways, following faithfully the 
lines laid down by the Holy Spirit. If work which 



THE MISSION AN OUTLINE SKETCH. 23 

had not God's approval were started, or if the work- 
ers were out of touch with Him, or unscriptural 
plans were adopted, woe betide the China Inland 
Mission ! 

It was easy to see also that as the Mission had no 
endowment or settled income, and God has told lis 
to "owe no man anything," it was impossible for the 
missionaries to be promised a settled salary. Every 
worker must go out in simple, direct dependence 
upon God Himself for everything, not only without 
salary, but without guarantee even of food and cloth- 
ing, save indeed the absolute guarantee of God's 
word, u ~No good thing will He withhold from them 
that walk uprightly." They mean to walk uprightly, 
and God's honor is at stake. Need it be added that 
their every need is met ? 

Taking the Mission as a whole, the ordinary ex- 
pense per worker will perhaps be two hundred dol- 
lars a year for personal use, and another hundred 
dollars for share of house-rents, cost of long journeys, 
and a variety of other expenses (met by the Mission 
on a sort of cooperative plan), in all about three 
hundred dollars a year is the usual expense of a 
single missionary, besides another seventy-five dol- 
lars a year, on an average, toward the heavy extra 
expense of furlough. The missionary cannot live at 
home as cheaply as in China, and the voyage to and 
fro is a heavy additional item. 

As to the workers chosen, not only must they be 
men and women of faith, they must also be soul-win- 



24 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

ners. A sea voyage will not make a missionary of 
anyone. Spiritual qualifications are of course of 
higher importance than university training, and 
while a large number of the workers have been 
through college, many have only had a good general 
education. God often uses such, at home; if they are 
suitable in other ways, why should they not be 
similarly blessed among the ignorant heathen? — 
ignorant as judged by Western standards. The 
worker will need a thorough Chinese education in 
any case, or he will be cormted ignorant by the 
educated, and soon by the uneducated people among 
whom he goes to work, and whose respect is of such 
paramount importance if he would win them for the 
Master. It will not be supposed, however, that all, 
or nearly all who offer themselves are accepted. In 
1887, for instance, when earnest prayer was going 
up to God for one hundred new missionaries within 
the year, reinforcements that were urgently needed, 
there were over six hundred candidates, about eighty- 
four per cent, of whom were advised either to wait 
or to seek some other sphere of service. Those who 
do go are picked men and women. Health, age, 
character, temperament, experience, knowledge of 
the Bible, the equipment of the Spirit, all are taken 
into account. And above all, God is asked and is ex- 
pected to guide in every case. 

It is sometimes said that the China Inland Mission 
is undenominational. This is not strictly correct. 
The members do not undenominationalize them- 



THE MISSION AN OUTLINE SKETCH. 25 

selves. They remain, with rare exceptions, just what 
they were. It is inter-denominational, and has room 
for every suitable worker who is sound in the Faith, 
irrespective of minor differences in creed. And in 
China, each member is free to work with those of his 
own way of thinking; and, as regards church 
organization, in whatever way he believes to be 
Scriptural and wise. Care is taken, of course, to avoid 
confusing the Christians by changes of denomi- 
national teaching, and neighboring stations are 
usually similar in method for the same reason. Here 
a district as large as England is worked by Church- 
men, under their own Bishop (who is also a member 
of the Mission); there half a province is worked by 
Presbyterians; Yun-nan has mostly Methodist work- 
ers ; another district is wholly Baptist, and so on. On 
the other hand, in some provinces the missionaries 
work together, on very primitive, Acts-of-the- Apos- 
tles lines, scarcely knowing, or not knowing at all, 
what the others think on denominational matters. 
These differences loom large at home, but when two 
or three isolated believers are surrounded by multi- 
tudes of heathen, perhaps hostile heathen, it seems 
better to agree to differ, and differing to agree. 

The fundamental doctrines of Scripture: That 
Jesus is the Son of God; that the saved are saved 
through faith in Him; that the lost are lost because 
they sin against the light they have; that the Bible 
is the inspired, authoritative Word of God — these are 
essential, of course. It is no use to send men out to 



26 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

teach a human Gospel that has neither divine au- 
thority nor power. In China they have enough of 
human doctrines already. What they need is God's 
Truth and God's Spirit. 

The entire superintendence of the work on the field 
is another feature of the Mission. A Council of ex- 
perienced missionaries, presided over by Mr. Taylor, 
or in his absence by the China Director, guide the 
work on the spot, and all minor matters are referred, 
as far as possible, to the Provincial Superintendents, 
who are ex-officio members of the Council. Long and 
varied experience among the people, and thorough 
knowledge of local conditions can be brought to bear 
on all important questions, and, after prayerful con- 
sideration, decisive action can be taken without de- 
lay, which is often of profound importance both to 
the workers and the work. 

As to missionary methods, "all things to all men," 
"that I might gain the more" is the guiding principle. 
The members wear the native dress and live in native 
houses. Many eat, with chopsticks instead of knife 
and fork, the native food, but this last is optional. In 
dress, in language, in deportment, in the minor 
courtesies of life, it is easy to follow, as far as may 
be, what the people respect in their educated fellow- 
countrymen. And it pays. 

Itineration first, then stations in the more im- 
portant cities as the way opens up, and then out-sta- 
tions, with a presiding elder or native evangelist, is 
the usual order of procedure. 



THE MISSION AN OUTLINE SKETCH. 27 

It is very important, and this can hardly be too 
much emphasized, to spend as little money as pos- 
sible in a new station. As a general rule, large build- 
ings in a new station, or even considerable personal 
expenditure, means a small and unsatisfactory 
church. The richer the missionary and the mission 
seems, the more surely does he become surrounded 
by unworthy men who come merely for what they 
can gain. True inquirers are often literally unable 
to break through such a circle. And pitifully dis- 
heartening work it is in such a case. Self-sacrifice 
purchased our pardon. And, in soul-saving work, 
self-sacrifice is God's way still. "He humbled Him- 
self." So may we. 

Prayer, of course, is the backbone of all the work, 
as of every Christian enterprise. A weekly prayer- 
meeting has been held in London, where the work 
commenced, regularly for thirty-seven years; a daily 
prayer-meeting is held at the headquarters in Eng- 
land, America, Australia and China, and at the 
scattered stations it is the rule, to which there are 
few if any exceptions, to remember every member of 
the Mission at the daily prayer-meetings at least 
once a week by name. Every need, not only of the 
Mission as a whole, but also of each individual 
member, is met in answer to prayer. 

With all. its faults — and it has many; may the 
Master enable it to see them clearly and to put them 
right — God is in it. God's command started it. 
God's provision has kept it going without ever in- 



28 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

curring debt. God's power has opened inland 
China partly through its means. And God's pres- 
ence has enabled the workers to face overwhelming 
difficulties, to endure hardness, and by love to con- 
quer opposition, and even in some cases to win the 
martyr's crown. Untold multitudes have heard the 
Gospel and many thousands have been "added to 
the Lord." And at last there are signs that, through 
many Missions, the Truth is slowly beginning to in- 
fluence the country as a whole. The way of the 
cross is again proving the way to victory. All glory 
to God ! 



CHAPTEK III. 



THE NEED EOR THE MISSION. 

The present condition of China after nearly four 
thousand years of more or less settled national exist- 
ence is a remarkable illustration of the insufficiency 
of mere education, civilization and high moral teach- 
ing to regenerate a people, without the re-creating 
power and life-giving presence of the Lord Jesus 
Christ Himself. 

Civilized, very highlj civilized as things went then, 
three thousand years ago, they have enjoyed the 
fruits of civilization, of settled government, of good 
laws — among the best, perhaps, that are not based 
directly or indirectly on the Bible — and of a very 
considerable degree of culture ever since, and yet the 
average life of the average Chinaman to-day is dark, 
degraded, and wicked to a deplorable degree. 

Educated, as a people, more generally perhaps 
than any other great heathen nation, with a system of 
education based upon the Confucian classics, that 
date back in their present form to five hundred years 
before the birth of our Lord, they are yet, compared 
with Christian countries, ignorant, superstitious, 
credulous, priest-ridden, almost beyond belief. 

Influenced, dominated mentally, by a moral code 
so high that it has never been equaled, save by the 

29 



30 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

direct revelation from God, they are yet to-day so 
immoral that Paul's description of heathendom in 
his time, in Romans I — that most awful description 
of godless peoples — applies without the alteration of 
a word to China as it is at the dawn of the twentieth 
century. 

So utterly impotent are civilization, education and 
ethics alone, to elevate a people, even with the op- 
portunity of millenniums. 

We learn something in Genesis of the malignity of 
the devil, in the sad and but too true story of the fall: 
we read more in Job of his remorseless cruelty; we 
gather something of his awful power over the lost, 
the living lost, in the Gospel narratives, attested by 
our Lord Himself, of demon-tormented men and 
women and even children! We see in the story of 
the temptation his unabashed audacity in the pres- 
ence of the very Son of God. 

And one sees in China, with one's own eyes, in a 
few years' residence up country, proofs, quite as 
vivid and quite as awful, of the same malevolent in- 
genuity, proofs not in individual cases only, though 
these are constantly before one, but in the Chinese 
as a people, in their customs and beliefs and fears, ii 
their dark, superstitious lives and in the terrible 
agony of terror so sadly common in a heathen's 
death. 

If ever an individual needed saving the Chinaman 
does. And if ever a people needed the uplifting, en- 
nobling, emancipating power of Jesus Christ, surely 



THE NEED FOR THE MISSION. 31 

the dark, degraded, godless people of China need it 
to-day. 

So much, very briefly, for the degree of the need; 
now let us look for a moment at its magnitude. 

We can form some idea of what it would mean for 
the reader or the writer, instead of being a child of 
God, to be in the dread power of the enemy of souls, 
such, doctrinally and actually, is the state of each in- 
dividual unsaved Chinaman.* Multiply that a 
hundredfold, a thousandfold, a millionfold, and 
one begins to feel how unutterable is the need of the 
four hundred millions of China. God help us to feel 
that need in the awful depth of its full significance. 

Every one of them, every single soul, is a man or 
woman or child for whom Christ died. For He is 
"the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the 
world." He "tasted death for every man." 

Jesus has purchased for each one of them pardon 
and peace and eternal life. It is their birthright to 
know it. He said, tell "the Gospel to every creature." 
And we have not done it. 

Till our Lord's command is obeyed what tre- 
mendous responsibility rests upon the Church uni- 
versal, of which we are members ! God help us to 
feel it and to care. How callous we get sometimes. 
A man there that we might save, through the power 
of "Christ in us," if we went and gave him the Gos- 



*"We know," the Holy Ghost teaches, "that we are of 
God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one." 



32 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

pel — shall we let him pass on, uncared for, from a 
dark life into a darker and more dreadful eternity? 
And to how many such, each additional missionary 
is able to offer the ineffable gift of Salvation ! 

And if we cannot go shall we let the matter slide ? 
Or shall we earnestly ask, a Is there anything I can do 
at home toward saving the heathen, that I have not 
done ? God help me to do it." Would it not be aw- 
ful to meet men and women at the Judgment Throne 
whom we might have saved if we had only cared 
enough to do what we could for their present and 
eternal happiness ? 

It may perhaps help in forming some idea of the 
darkness of the heathen's life to visit in imagination 
an unevangelized city in the heart of China. One 
Sunday, resting on a journey, the writer's boat was 
moored opposite the great city of Huai-yuan, in the 
province of An-huei. It was an intact stronghold 
of heathen darkness, without a ray of Gospel light. 
Let us visit it together. 

We enter by the south gate and walk right 
through the city, from one end to the other, making 
a mental note of the faces of the people. They are 
mostly men, of course, women stay at home. But 
those men's faces impress us. Among all the 
hundreds, the thousands that we pass on the busy 
streets, there is not a single one with a restful, satis- 
fied expression. Many are hostile, many are in- 
different, but all alike are lacking in inward peace 
and love and joyfulness, the graces of the Holy 



THE NEED FOR THE MISSION. 33 

Ghost. And this lack is manifest in every face. 
"Without Christ, having no hope; without God in 
the world." 

A few days later, as we journey up the river, we 
come to the city of T'ai-ho, and join, perhaps the fol- 
lowing Sunday, in public worship. Now watch the 
faces, the happy, transformed faces of the Christians, 
as they listen to the story of the love and life and 
death of Jesus Christ our Lord. How great the con- 
trast between those heathen faces and the faces of a 
company of native Christians. It seems scarcely 
possible that a few brief years, perhaps only weeks, 
since they learnt to know Him, could make so great 
a difference. 

Think of it. The city of Huai-yuan has a popula- 
tion of perhaps two hundred thousand, no one knows 
exactly; and there are hundreds of other cities just 
as large and just as needy. There are more than a 
thousand governing "cities," that is, capitals of 
counties, in which a missionary or even a native 
Christian has never been located, even now. And 
yet some people think that the needs of China are 
fairly met. Of course the need was very much 
greater in 1865. 

If this is the impression left by a single visit to a 
heathen city, what would be the impression if we 
could stay long enough to get to know something of 
the individual lives of the people ? 

Let us stay among them; mingle freely in their 
streets and markets and fairs; accept invitations into 



34 



THESE FORTY YEARS. 



their homes; pay visits to the sick; rescue the lives of 
some of the many suicides, and a steadily deepening 
conviction will grow of the awful needs of the people. 

The men we find on the whole fairly contented 
with their lot ; certainly most of them are industrious. 
But as one gets to know them more intimately, 
"There is none good, no not one," is called to mind. 
They are just heathen, that says it all in one word. 
They are wicked; we hardly know what wickedness 
is until we go to a heathen country; they are impure 
in heart and life; they are selfish, grossly, callously 
selfish, caring little or nothing for the sufferings of 
their less fortunate neighbors. They have no asylums 
for the blind, no hospitals for the sick, no homes for 
the lame or maimed or incurable, and in most of the 
cities no almshouses or other provision for the aged 
poor. 

Alas, how can they but be so ? — without any ray of 
that "wisdom that comes from above," and "is first 
pure, then peaceable — full of mercy and good 
fruits"? 

Such are the lives of the men on the street. And 
what shall we say of the millions of unfortunates 
who are victims to opium, or to intemperance, to im- 
morality, or that most enthralling of passions, so 
ubiquitous in China, the passion of gambling — 
victims without a Saviour? 

But if the lives of the men are sad, those of the 
women in the homes are sadder. Despised, down- 
trodden, ill-treated and neglected, the lot of woman in 





'•NEVER OUT OF .PAIN." 




GOING TO VISIT THEM. 



THE NEED FOR THE MISSION. 35 

China is pitiable indeed. Unwelcome when born, un- 
loved in young womanhood, unhonored in old age; is 
it any wonder that so many commit suicide every 
year? Unprotected, too, their parents or husbands 
may kill them, or sell them, and often do. And there 
is no redress. Do not the women belong to them? 

Saddest of all are the lives of the children, es- 
pecially tne girl children. Take this one fact : From 
the time she is four or five years old until she 
is twenty-five a girl is never out of pain, from the 
cruel custom of foot-binding, which is almost uni- 
versal, except among the poorest and most degraded. 
"The dark places of the earth are full of the habita- 
tions of cruelty." Heathendom needs the Gospel, 
And thirty-seven years ago inland China was utterly 
without its light, its comfort, its hope. 

To these thoughts as to the need then, might be 
added in confirmation now, the marvelous results of 
a third of a century of Christian work. Not only is it 
true that God commands us to give them the Gospel, 
a fact which must ever stand above all other con- 
siderations, as regards the claim upon us of work 
among the heathen, but the experience of thirty 
years has proved that the Gospel just meets their 
need — the great yearning need of God in every 
human heart. God's will, again, has vindicated itself. 
What He commands is wise, as well as right. 

Who could have believed, who could have hoped 
at the commencement of the last third of the nine- 
teenth century that missionary work would have ac- 



36 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

« 

complished what it has? — such a work, judged not 
merely by numerical results which are astonishing in- 
deed, as will be seen in later chapters, but by the 
much more crucial tests of 1900, when the native 
Christians, in the fires of the bitterest persecution, 
and even the literal fires of martyrdom, so nobly 
proved their right to be enrolled in the ranks of the 
Church of Christ. 

The truth as it is in Jesus is just what they need, 
and has proved the power of God unto salvation to 
unnumbered thousands of Chinamen and China- 
women. 

But in 1865 Han-kow and a few places along the 
coast, alone, were being touched with the Gospel, and 
with that small exception China — vast, continental 
China — was entirely without the Light of Life. In- 
land China (excluding the coast belt and the region 
round Han-kow), with an area of four million square 
miles, about a third as large again as the United 
States, and a population of over three hundred 
millions, was utterly without any knowledge what- 
ever of the only Name under heaven whereby men 
may be saved. 

Is it any wonder, when other Missions could not 
take up that work, so desperately needed, that Hud- 
son Taylor felt it must be done, even if a new Mis- 
sion had to be originated for the purpose? 

Huai-yuan, referred to upon pages 21 and 22, has re- 
cently been opened by missionaries of the Presbyterian 
Board. May God prosper them! 



PART II. 

IN MORE DETAIL 



CHAPTER I. 



THE PEOPLE OF CHINA. 

At a picturesque little town on the wild, mag- 
nificent west coast of ISTew Zealand we were to ad- 
dress a missionary meeting in the spring of 1900. 
When mv wife and I went on the platform and saw 
the audience we were not a little surprised to find an 
upturned sea of Chinese faces. They had come early 
and crowded out the friends we came to meet, so 
eager were they to get tidings from the fatherland. 
The church was full of Chinamen, so the missionary 
meeting had to be held at nine o'clock instead of 
eight. 

To us, of course, it was deeply interesting to be 
face to face with that eager, expectant Chinese audi- 
ence. Closely packed, right across the building, in 
rows a yard apart, they seemed a picture in miniature 
of crowded China. But that audience, seated as they 
were, about eighteen abreast, would need to be con- 
tinued row after row, row after row, on and on, 
more than half way round the world, to contain all 
the Chinese in China. Have we any adequate con- 
ception of the immense population of that dark, 
needy land ? 

As we have already seen, thirty-seven years ago 
the interior of that great empire, which includes one- 

39 



40 THESE FORTY YEABS. 






eleventh of the land area of the globe and a popula- 
tion estimated at four hundred millions, was entirely 
without the Gospel. 

It was to help bring about a change in this de- 
plorable state of things that the "China Inland Mis- 
sion" was formed. 

•Jv W w w w W w 

Everybody is aware that China is the greatest 
country in the world, as far as population is 
concerned, and that it has a past to be proud of; but 
it is not so generally recognized that the Chinese 
have national characteristics that, given fair play, 
promise a future far greater than the past. 

We know something about their industry and their 
thrift. We know less, probably, about their brilliant 
commercial instincts and adaptability. We knew 
little or nothing until quite recently of the per- 
tinacity of their conservatism, of the determined ad- 
herence to their own beliefs of right and wrong. 
They have grit. 

They need new ideas; they need better methods; 
they need still more, leaders. But they have men; 
men capable of remarkable development, of brilliant 
achievements, and under Christian influence as we 
now know, of magnificent steadfastness under bitter 
persecution and all the terrible concomitants of 
martyrdom. 

The filial piety of the Chinese is proverbial. And 
this goes much deeper than many suppose. A well- 
trained young Chinaman is as considerate of his 



THE PEOPLE OF CHINA. 41 

parents' wishes and feelings and as obedient, at least 
in many cases, as heart could wish. Then they are 
also a very grateful people. Every missionary has 
many evidences of this, perhaps medical missionaries 
most of all, for they have something to give that the 
people want, and know they want, and when it is 
given, the gratitude returned is often most encourag- 
ing. Again, they are a most religious people. Of 
which the immense sum spent annually on the public 
and private worship of the gods and of departed 
spirits may be adduced as one proof among many. 

The faithfulness of the Chinese is scarcely 
recognized in the West by those who do not person- 
ally know them, but in China, in the great foreign 
banks at the treaty ports, all the silver (i. e. the cur- 
rent coin) is in the hands of Chinese clerks. The 
same holds good in Japan, where the wealthier 
Japanese merchants trust them as cashiers, and in 
many positions of responsibility, where they would 
not and could not trust their own people. Their 
faithfulness was also most conspicuously in evidence 
during the Boxer outbreak, and the way in which 
native friends risked even life itself in the effort to 
help the hunted missionaries will never be forgotten 
by those who survived that <r Reign of Terror." 

They are a great people. Faithful, grateful, 
peace-loving, filial, patient, religious, plodding, 
teachable and industrious; it is impossible to know 
them, or at any rate to know their better side, and 
not to love them. And there is no reason whatever 



42 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

why they should not become a much greater people 
than they are to-day. They have come to a turn of 
the tide in the affairs of their country which, taken 
at the flood, may well lead on to glory. 

China is like an ethnic flower-bud; its fragrance is 
undeveloped; its beauty is hidden, and perhaps lies 
chiefly in promise; but God can surely cause it to 
blossom forth. 

Sir Robert Hart, the greatest Western diplomat in 
China, tells us that the hope of the country lies in the 
rapid spread of Christianity, which he regards as 
"improbable but not impossible." There needs to be, 
he says, a buffer community between the con- 
servatism of Confucian China and the progressive 
civilization of the West, if the horrors of 1900 are 
not to be repeated. 

What Sir Robert Hart hopes for so vaguely is, in 
fact, steadily being brought about. The annual in- 
crease of the Protestant churches in China is ten 
thousand communicants, and the annual increase is 
annually increasing. The total membership of the 
churches has doubled every eight years for more 
than a quarter of a century. 

If this means that God is working mightily in 
China, that He has great purposes for her future, 
which are already in operation, there is hope for that 
distracted land. 

If the churches at home realize their opportunity, 
and strengthen the hands of the hundreds, nay 
thousands of young men and women asking to give 



THE PEOPLE OF CHINA. 43 

their lives to such work as this; if, at this crisis, the 
native Christians and the foreign workers are ear- 
nestly upheld in prayer by Christendom, there is 
hope for China. 

Had there been ten righteous men in Sodom the 
city would not have perished. There are more than 
ten times ten thousand believers in China. May we 
not pray God to spare her? Must we not believe, 
doing all we can ourselves to help, that God will deal 
with her in mercy ? 

If the rapid spread of the Truth in China be its 
one only hope, shall we not, by faith and more de- 
termined effort and through the mighty power of 
God, bring this to pass ? 



CHAP TEE II. 



AN EFFORT TO MEET THE NEED. 



Forty years ago the entire missionary enterprise 
was still in its infancy. Each of the leading de- 
nominations had, as in dnty bound, its mission to the 
heathen, bnt the work was small. Those were the 
early days of foreign missions, for till recently "Go 
ye and preach the Gospel to every creature" had 
been for many centuries, with rare exceptions, an 
ignored command. Is it not, to many, a forgotten 
duty even now? Still, a beginning has been made, 
and a good one. 

The vast, the continental area of China, however, 
was largely neglected. In that greatest of un- 
evangelized countries, missionaries were stationed in 
some half-dozen treaty ports along the coast, and at 
Han-kow, the Chicago of the Orient. Inland China 
was not only unreached, but by competent judges de- 
clared unreachable. It was closed, barred and sealed 
against the heralds of the Cross. 

There was one, however, to whom a country closed 
against God, against His revealed will, was not only 
theoretically, but practically, beyond belief. "I will 
give thee the heathen — the uttermost parts of the 
earth for thy possession," said God. "To the utter- 
most parts of the earth" commanded Jesus, doubt- 

44 



AN EFFORT TO MEET THE NEED. 45 

less with that assurance in mind. And what God 
promises comes to pass; what the Captain of the 
Lord's host commands His soldiers they can do, for 
He leads them Himself, and leads always to victory ! 

So Hudson Taylor pondered and prayed, and was 
persuaded "We can do it" — "Let us do it, in the 
name and in the power of God." 

Thus, since "all things are possible to him that be- 
lieveth," a new mission was started to the new field 
of inland China, And it had to be run on new lines, 
as we have seen, to avoid the risk of conflicting with 
existing work. 

This was the China Inland Mission. It has been 
called by some a "faith mission." The term is un- 
fortunate, and is one we regret, for it is invidious. 
All missions are faith missions and all missionaries 
are faith missionaries, or they would stay at home. 
It costs more than many realize to live and work in 
a heathen land, as every missionary knows. The 
special feature of the China Inland Mission referred 
to is that it does not take collections or make in 
public or in private direct appeals for money. It 
simply trusts God to provide, through His servants, 
what He sees is needed to carry on His work. 

And how has that plan worked ? God has provided 
the funds, and provided royally. Who could suppose 
it would be otherwise ? The work has been econom- 
ically conducted, it is true; the money sent in has 
been made to go as far as it could without loss of 
effectiveness; but the point is — the money has come, 



46 THESE FOETY TEAKS. 

and has always come in time. God has been asked 
for it and He has inclined His servants to give, large 
gifts and small, mostly the latter; widows' mites and 
children's, often in postage stamps; and wealthy 
donors' checks — month by month they have been 
coming in, all these years. Never a debt has been in- 
curred, never a need has been unmet, never a suitable 
worker has been refused, never a field abandoned, 
never an invalid worker unable to go home for lack 
of funds. The experience of the China Inland Mis- 
sion all these years may be summed up in a word: 
"He is faithful that promised." 

As to the workers, they get no stipulated salary, as 
we have seen; they are promised nothing, not even 
food. They go out in daily dependence on God to 
supply their needs and, of course, their every need 
is met. 

The missionaries wear the Chinese dress. "All 
things to all men" is their motto in this and other 
non-essentials. "Let us become Chinese," they say, 
"to the Chinese, that we may win the more." 

They live in native houses, many eat the native 
food, and all do what they can to get near the people, 
that they may win them to the Master. "Living 
epistles known and read of all men," they seek to be 
known and seen, to be accessible and understandable 
to all. 

Indemnification for losses is sometimes offered by 
the authorities, but it is a rule of the Mission never 
to demand it. "We seek not yours but you," is its 



AN EFFORT TO MEET THE NEED. 47 

attitude in all such matters. Moreover, "Kesist not 
evil" is the law of the Kingdom, an explicit command 
to which God of course expects obedience. 

To the rulers, the mandarins and the recognized 
leaders among the scholarly classes — the "local 
gentry," courteous deference is shown. "Honor to 
whom honor is due." 

And how do these principles answer ? Just as one 
would expect. Inland China has been opened up, in 
the first instance largely through the members of the 
China Inland Mission. Laborious itinerations, total- 
ing many tens of thousands of miles, have been made, 
reaching to the remotest parts of the empire, includ- 
ing Mongolia, Turkestan and the lofty plateaux of 
Thibet. And, step by step, more than three hundred 
stations and out-stations have been opened; to many 
hundreds of thousands the Gospel has been preached, 
with the happiest result in multitudes of cases. 
Wherever the work has been established neighbors 
have become friendly, and most friendly just where 
these methods have been most enthusiastically car- 
ried out. 



CHAPTEK III. 



THE INCEPTION OF THE WORK. 

In the year 1860, the Rev. J. Hudson Taylor was 
invalided home from China. He had gone out in '53, 
had learned the language, had gained experience 
working with older missionaries, had taken charge of 
a hospital, had become a Chinaman to the Chinese 
and had gathered a Church. In other words, he had 
gone through his missionary apprenticeship; but now 
his health was so completely wrecked that he would 
never be able to return, the doctors told him. 

He was a full-fledged missionary. In China he had 
lived right among the people and had itinerated as 
widely as circumstances would then permit. He was 
familiar with the busy life of their great crowded 
cities and had seen a good deal of the simpler rural 
population. To him "the millions of China" was not a 
mere expression, but represented a concrete fact with 
which he was in some degree familiar. 

More than this, he knew where they were morally 
and spiritually. The awful wickedness, the deplor- 
able ignorance of spiritual and energizing Truth, the 
sufferings of the women, the miseries of the children, 
especially of the girls, and the hard-hearted selfish- 
ness of all, with all the unhappiness and sorrow 

48 






THE INCEPTION OF THE WORK. 49 

which spring from such a state of things, these were 
living and terrible facts to his mind. Had not God 
some pity? Had He not some plan for their up- 
lifting? 

Yes, verily! Had not God commanded that His 
Gospel should be preached to them with all its en- 
lightening, emancipating power? Surely it was the 
duty of God's people to do their part to bring light 
and liberty to this sordid and suffering nation. 

While at home from China in the early sixties, Mr. 
Taylor, unable to work in China, determined at least 
to work for China. And this he did in several ways : 
By making known its needs, in meetings and through 
the press; by revising the translation of the ISTew 
Testament in the vernacular of Ning-po, an im- 
portant dialect; but he believed that the most im- 
portant work he could do was by prayer, and 
he prayed without ceasing. 

The trouble was, the more he prayed the heavier 
grew the load upon his heart. The awful condition 
in time and for eternity of those Christless multi- 
tudes, their miseries now and their hopelessness 
hereafter, became, like Pilgrim's burden, more than 
he could bear. Even when he had been five years at 
home, and had finished the medical curriculum which 
had been broken off when he first sailed for China, 
and had held many missionary meetings in various 
parts of the British Isles, as well as doing not a little 
literary work for China, even then, when his health 
was somewhat reestablished, it broke down afresh 



50 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

from this burden on his soul. Under medical advice 
he went to the seaside, but even change and rest 
could not help him much, unless this burden could be 
lifted. To make matters worse the conviction was 
dawning on him that if the existing missionary 
bodies could not undertake work toward the 
evangelization of the great interior of China, he must. 
He had already been to see the secretaries of the 
principal English Missionary Boards. Some had 
work that so urgently needed reenforcing that their 
new missionaries must go to old fields; others were 
already using all the funds that were coming to their 
hands; others said, and said truly, "The country is 
not open," adding, "How can we send missionaries to 
inland China?" In every case he came away with a 
heavy heart. 

And now God seemed to be saying to him, "This 
need is laid on you; you have been there; you see it 
more clearly than most; why not ask the Lord for 
laborers to go with you to the interior ?" 

From this thought Mr. Taylor shrank back, with a 
very keen perception of the gravity of the undertak- 
ing. The closed door did not deter him because God 
could open that, and doubtless would, in answer to 
prayer, when His servants went out in obedience to 
His will. For his own support and his family's he had 
no concern; as to their needs when away in China, he 
was perfectly prepared to trust God for everything. 
"Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these 
things" was sufficient for him. But the magnitude of 



THE INCEPTION OF THE WORK. 51 

the task, the difficulties of the climate, the obstacles 
to be overcome, and above all the spiritual deadness 
which assails missionaries living in the midst of the 
heathen, seemed overwhelmingly serious to Mr. 
Taylor as he faced the proposition. 

However, he could get no relief. The conviction 
deepened that this was God's work for him. And 
finally, in a lonely spot on the seashore near 
Brighton, one bright summer morning, the struggle 
ended. On his knees before God he said, "I will obey 
Thee." And immediately the load was lifted. But 
he added, "Lord, bear Thou all the responsibility in- 
volved by obedience to Thy command." "Seek ye 
first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and 
all these things shall be added unto you," seemed ex- 
actly to meet the case. Might not the words be un- 
derstood to apply to other and deeper needs than 
food and clothing, of which the Father knows full 
well ? Mr. Taylor immediately began to pray for fel- 
low-workers to go two and two to the eleven un- 
reached provinces of inland China and to Mongotia. 
There and then he entered a memorandum in the 
Bible in his hand: 

"Prayed for twenty-four willing, skillful laborers, at 
Brighton, June 25th, 1865." 

This was the seed purpose from which sprang the 
China Inland Mission. Before tracing its growth 
and development it may perhaps be well to go back 
for a few minutes to trace the steps by which God 



52 



THESE FORTY YEAES. 



prepared an instrument for the work He was about 
to do.* 



♦Those familiar with the early life of Mr. Taylor will 
perhaps pass over the next three chapters. They give, in a 
condensed form, some of the experiences by which he was 
trained and fitted for his life-work — founding and directing 
the China Inland Mission. 



CHAPTEK IV. 



THE MAN FOR THE WORK. 

Before Mr. Taylor was born his parents prayed 
that if God ever gave them a son he might become a 
missionary to China. They were a north-country 
English family, living in Barnsley, Yorkshire. The 
father was a chemist, a man of exceptional intelli- 
gence and thoughtfulness and a local preacher 
amongst the Methodists of power and general ac- 
ceptance. The mother was a quiet and deeply spirit- 
ual woman. Both parents were profoundly impressed 
with the reality of God and of spiritual things, and of 
the reasonableness of trusting God in everything and 
of literally obeying His commands. Any other 
course seemed not only wrong but folly. 

When their first-born child was given they hoped 
the little son would prove to be the answer to their 
prayers; and many were the petitions that went up 
for the infant boy. He grew, however, into such a 
delicate lad that he could seldom stay an entire week 
at school, and reluctantly the father and mother 
came to the conclusion that for some reason or other 
their ardent desire was not to be granted. The boy 
always worked with a will at his lessons, but health 
constantly gave way under the strain of ordinary 

53 



54 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

school duties, attacked with the earnestness that 
characterized everything he did. But, in spite of 
many prayers and the helpful training of that godly 
home, young Hudson Taylor came nearly to the end 
of his school-boy days without knowing the supreme 
joy of conversion. He tried repeatedly to be a 
Christian, but had always failed. He did not realize 
that it was because he had not begun at the be- 
ginning. 

About this time he came among skeptical com- 
panions and was not unaffected by their way of think- 
ing and speaking, in which he was confirmed by the 
inconsistencies of many of the Christians around him. 
"If I were a Christian," he used to say to himself, "I 
would be one in something more than name. If it 
were possible for me to believe in the God of the 
Bible I would believe in Him with all my heart, and 
would put Him to the test, taking His promises to 
mean just what they say, and if they proved to be 
untrustworthy, if they would not stand the test, I 
would throw it up altogether." It may be that the 
musings of those dark days have tended to strengthen 
the supreme conviction which has characterized Mr. 
Taylor's life: That God may be utterly depended od 
for everything and that His promises were always in- 
tended to be literally fulfilled in every case. 

It was while still in this frame of mind that, one 
balf -holiday, he picked up a tract in his father's 
library, saying to himself, "There will doubtless be 
a story in the first part of this and a sermon at the 



THE MAN FOR THE WORK. 55 

end. I will read the story and leave the moral for 
those who like that sort of thing." So he .took the 
booklet to an empty barn and stretched himself at 
length to enjoy and while away the time. As he read 
the story, certain words in it struck him as re- 
markable. 

That same afternoon his mother, who was away 
from home at some little distance on a visit, finding 
herself free from her ordinary domestic duties, seized 
the opportunity for more uninterrupted waiting upon 
God than usual about the conversion of her boy. She 
wrestled with God for him hour after hour until at 
last a great light flooded her heart and she could 
pray no longer, for she knew that God had granted 
her petition. 

The words that riveted young Hudson Taylor's at- 
tention were, "The finished work of Christ." 
"Finished," he thought, "then my efforts to make 
myself a Christian were all beginning in the middle ! 
If the work is finished there is nothing left for me to 
do but to joyfully accept Him as my Saviour and to 
thank Him for His great sacrifice and sufferings for 
me." He fell on his knees and there and then gave 
himself to the Lord and claimed Christ as his 
Saviour and his God. 

He had often dreaded conversion as "becoming se- 
rious," and shrank from the thought of it accord- 
ingly. He found, however, that it was becoming 
happy; he had never had his heart so full of joy and 
happiness before! 



56 THESE EOBTY YEARS. 



. 



When the dear mother came home a few days later 
he met her with a glowing face. "I have good news 
to tell you, mother." "You need not tell me, my 
boy," she said, "I have been praising God for that 
news for days." 

"How did you know; did anyone tell you?" 

"I prayed for you until I knew in my own heart 
that God had granted my request and had drawn you 
to Himself." 

Is it any wonder that Mr. Taylor began early to 
believe in the power of prayer ? 



CHAPTEK V. 



PURPOSE AND PREPARATION. 

A few months later a transaction took place that 
proved of lasting consequence. Having a leisure 
afternoon the boy determined to spend it in the most 
delightful way he could think of, the most profitable 
way as well. Alone, in communion with God, he felt 
deeply conscious of the love of God as manifested by 
His great sacrifice of Jesus Christ and by His deal- 
ings with himself at a time when he had given up all 
hope of being saved. As he pondered on these things 
he became so full of glad thankfulness and peace that 
he asked God to graciously give him some oppor- 
tunity of showing his gratitude, some service, how- 
ever insignificant or however trying, that would en- 
able him to show how profoundly he appreciated the 
loving kindness of the Lord. 

He arose from his knees that afternoon with a very 
definite consciousness that God had accepted the 
offer, but for what service he could not tell. It was 
not until some months later that the conviction was 
borne in upon him that God wished him to go to 
China. Of this wish his parents knew nothing. With 
China in view he tried to obtain books about the 
country and people, but experienced considerable 

57 



58 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

difficulty. At that time there were very few books to 
be had, and those few were not easily accessible, at 
any rate to him. He obtained, however, a book by 
Medhurst on China, and from that he learned, 
amongst other things, that medical knowledge would 
be invaluable in winning the hearts of the people. 
Then and there he determined to take a thorough 
medical curriculum. 

Now, of course, it became necessary to consult his 
parents. When they first heard of the wish to go to 
China they said nothing of their own prayers and 
longings all these years but simply encouraged him 
to wait on God. If God were calling him to China 
He would open up the way and make all plain in due 
season, but it would be wise, lest this should be 
merely his own personal inclination, to be entirely 
willing to serve God either there or at home or any- 
where else. And Mr. Taylor has often felt the wis- 
dom of the counsel. When he did go, it was with the 
profound conviction that God, Himself, had definitely 
called him to a definite work in China. His faith, 
therefore, was specific and certain, and no questions 
arose later on to trouble him as to the wisdom or 
rightness of his choice. 

After some preliminary studies at home, it was de- 
cided that he should commence his medical studies 
at Hull. There, under one of the lecturers at the 
Hull School of Medicine, he worked at Materia 
Medica, Pharmacy and other branches for a year or 
two. Both previously at home and now again here 



PURPOSE AND PREPARATION. 59 

he determined to toughen himself as much as possible 
for the life of hardship which would probably be his 
in China, which was then to so large an extent a 
closed country and therefore necessarily a difficult 
field of service. He took more regular exercise, did 
without his soft bedding, lived on the simplest and 
most inexpensive diet; thus not only accustoming 
himself to experiences that might be normal in the 
East but also saving no little part of his slender in- 
come for use in the Lord's work, into which in his 
new surroundings he at once launched with all the 
earnestness of his enthusiastic nature. 

It must have been a touching sight to the only One 
who witnessed it, to see the young medical student, 
about this time, looking through his little library and 
going over his slender stock of clothes to see what he 
could do without, that he might have nothing in his 
possession that could be better used in other ways. 
Is not a man's secret life, under the eye of God alone, 
the best test of what he is ? 

Here in Hull Mr. Taylor made a determination 
which he thought would help in preparing for the 
future. He decided never to ask for his doctor's as- 
sistant salary when it fell due, however much he 
might need it; for he expected, out in China, to be 
entirely dependent upon God, and if he could not 
move a man through God before he went, how could 
he hope to live by faith in a distant land. More than 
once he was in difficulties through this decision — on 
one occasion in very serious difficulty — but in each 



60 THESE FORTY YEABS. 

case the matter of salary was remarkably brought to 
the doctor's mind, and so the need was met in answer 
to prayer, and not only was his faith in God 
strengthened but he was encouraged to hope that 
God Who heard him in this lesser matter at home 
would not fail him in the greater need abroad. 

One Sunday, after morning service and a good 
time of Bible study and prayer, he set out as usual, 
his heart brimming over with joy and gladness, to an 
afternoon and evening of Gospel work in tramps' 
lodging-houses and wherever else he could get a 
hearing. After his last service that evening was 
closed, just as with glad thankfulness for good op- 
portunities and a ready hearing he was about to turn 
homeward, a poor man came up to him and said, "I 
wish, sir, you would come and pray with my wife, 
who I am afraid is dying." 

Gladly, of course, Mr. Taylor went. Noticing from 
the man's brogue that he was Irish, and therefore 
probably a Catholic, "Why did you not go to a 
priest ?" he asked. 

"I did, sir; but he would not come for less than 
eighteen pence, and we have no money for food, let 
alone money for him !" 

On hearing what a deplorable condition of want 
and destitution the family were in, Mr. Taylor asked 
why the man had not applied for relief to the proper 
authorities, especially as his wife was the mother of a 
little one only thirty-six hours old. 

"I did, sir," he said, "and they told me to come 



PURPOSE AND PREPARATION. 61 

again to-morrow morning at eleven o'clock, but I am 
afraid ray poor wif e will hardly live so long." 

Mr. Taylor's supplies had run so low that he had 
nothing left but a single half-crown (sixty cents), and 
he could not help thinking as he heard the sad story, 
"How I wish I had it in change ! If I had only two 
shillings and a sixpence, how gladly would I give 
them a shilling." 

When he came to the pitiful home he found it all 
just as the man had described. A miserable little ill- 
furnished upper room, the poor mother lying ex- 
hausted on the bed and four or five little children 
huddled here and there about the room, whose 
sunken cheeks and hollow temples told an unmistak- 
able story of long want and slow starvation. 

"If only I had change," he thought again, "how 
gladly would I give them a shilling and sixpence, to 
tide them over till to-morrow." 

And then as he stood there he began to talk to the 
poor woman, so near her end, about the loving 
Father who knows and sympathizes with all the 
sufferings of His creatures. 

"You hypocrite!" a voice seemed to say within 
him, "How dare you call Him Father and say He 
will provide for their needs when you are able to do 
so yourself, but are unwilling to trust God without a 
shilling in your pocket ?" And the words he was try- 
ing to say stuck in his throat. 

Mr. Taylor bethought him of another resource. 
He never had any trouble or difficulty in prayer. But 






62 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

as he began to pray, "Our Father, Which art in 
Heaven," again he nearly choked. "How dare you 
call Him your Father when you are not ready to 
trust Him yourself !" 

Somehow or other, he never knew how, he 
managed to struggle through a form of prayer. As 
he rose from his knees, the poor man said, "You see, 
sir, what a bad case we are in. If you can help us, 
for God's sake do !" 

"Give to him that asketh of thee," flashed into Mr. 
Taylor's mind, and instantly he knew that it was the 
word of God to him then. Drawing the coin from his 
pocket he handed it to the man, saying, "It may seem 
a little thing for me to help you, who am so much 
better off than you are, but this is all the money I 
have in the world. I know, however, that our 
Father in heaven will supply my need in some way 
or other." And then his mouth was opened and he 
was able to speak with freedom and gladness of the 
love and the goodness of God. 

• The poor woman's life was saved, and so Mr. Tay- 
lor has often felt was his. To trust God and God 
only — with no one but God to look to — was just the 
lesson he needed to learn. 

On the way home Mr. Taylor says he remembers 
his heart was as light as his pocket. When rather 
late he reached his lodgings he kneeled down and 
said, "Thou hast said, 'He that hath pity upon the 
poor lendeth to the Lord; and that which he hath 
given will He pay him again;' I cannot afford to 



PtJRPOSE AND PREPARATION. 63 

make a long loan of it, Lord, or I shall have nothing 
for dinner to-morrow." 

There was water-gruel waiting for his supper and 
enough oatmeal to suffice for breakfast, but that was 
all. He felt, however, with a very happy heart, that 
the blessing of God was upon him. 

Next morning as he was taking his frugal meal 
the postman came, bringing an unexpected letter. 
The handwriting he did not know, and when he 
opened the cover all he saw was a pair of gloves. "A 
strange gift, indeed," he thought, "for one in my 
circumstances !" As he drew them out, however, a 
ten-shilling piece dropped to the floor. Picking it up, 
he said to himself, "Praise the Lord ! Four hundred 
per cent, for twelve hours' investment; that is good 
interest. How glad the merchants of Hull would be 
if they could lend their money at such a rate !" Then 
and there he determined that a bank that paid so 
well, and that could not break, should have all his 
savings. And he has never regretted the decision. 

Many details must of course be omitted in this out- 
line sketch that are told at length in the "Retrospect," 
Mr. Taylor's own account of his early life and train- 
ing for the work that lay ahead. 

After this preparatory work at Hull the young 
student came up to London to take the regular course 
of medical study at the London Hospital. 

The life into which he was then plunged is diffi- 
cult for us to picture now. Even in recent times 
medical students have had the reputation of being 



64 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

rather rowdy, but the medical student of fifty years 
ago is happily almost an extinct genus now. Drink- 
ing and gambling and other vices and a general 
rowdyism were the order of the day out of lecture 
hours. It was not an uncommon thing for a dozen 
students, not content with an evening at a West End 
theatre, in a hilarious condition to link arms and 
march down the middle of the main thoroughfares, 
rollicking, shouting, and singing at the top of their 
voices, and clearing all before them that came in 
the way. 

It was in the midst of such surroundings as these 
that the young student came with scarcely, so far 
as he knew, a Christian student to stand by him. 
Surely God had him in training to stand alone ! 

Here in London Mr. Taylor sought and found an 
opportunity of testing his faith in God to meet his 
daily needs. His father, deeply interested, of course, 
in his possible future, had offered to meet his ex- 
penses, which, however, would have entailed a good 
deal of sacrifice on account of business reverses. The 
Chinese Evangelization Society, in connection with 
which he expected to go out, had also suggested that 
they should meet his expenses while carrying on his 
medical education. Before replying to either of these 
offers Mr. Taylor brought the matter before God in 
prayer for some days. He then felt that it would be 
wise to decline both offers. His parents, who already 
knew of the offer from the Society, would not be in 
any anxiety about the supply of his needs, while 



PURPOSE AND PREPARATION. 65 

at the same time the Society, knowing of his father's 
offer, would be perfectly satisfied if he declined 
theirs, and by this means he would be enabled to 
commence a very practical life of faith before he 
went out to the field of his life work. 

In many remarkable ways his needs were met. It 
was not for lack of supplies, but in order to have 
as much as possible to give away or to spend in the 
Lord's work, that he economized as much as he could. 
An inexpensive room, both bedroom and study, four 
miles from the hospital, was shared with a cousin; 
and this involved an eight mile walk each day, which 
was not without its advantages from the point of 
view of health and hardihood. For food, a four-cent 
loaf, bought on his way home from hospital, was suffi- 
cient for supper and breakfast, with water to drink. 
This, with occasional variations, and apples or other 
fruit for lunch at noon, was his sole diet for much 
of the time of his medical curriculum. 

It was to this simple diet that he owed his life on 
one occasion. Having pricked his finger with a needle 
one evening, he forgot all about it and was poisoned 
next day while dissecting, apparently from this 
minute wound to which he had never given a thought. 
Violent septic inflammation set in up his whole arm, 
and for days life hung trembling in the balance. The 
prominent surgeon from whom he first sought advice 
told him that his life would depend upon whether 
he had been living steadily and avoiding beer and 
rich foods. 

5 



66 THESE FOKTY YEARS. 

During his slow convalescence a sum of money 
unexpectedly came into his hands, which enabled him 
to return to his home in the north of England for a 
much-needed holiday. Thus again, in an unlooked- 
for way, the Lord supplied the need of His servant, 
whose expectation was from him. 

Shortly before the completion of his medical 
course an urgent opportunity arose to go out to China 
at once in connection with the Chinese Evangeliza- 
tion Society. After earnest waiting upon God for 
guidance as to whether he should complete his studies 
and take his diploma or accept this opening and go 
without delay, Mr. Taylor felt perfectly clear that 
he should accept and go. 

It was a long and sometimes eventful voyage in 
those days. Starting in the autumn of 1853, it was 
nearly six months later before their vessel arrived 
at Shanghai. 

By the way, the ship was becalmed on one occasion 
in the tropics and an unfavorable current began to 
carry them rapidly toward an unfriendly shore. 
There was not enough wind to move the listless sails, 
and as the long, hot afternoon wore away they drew 
nearer and nearer to what they found by the chart 
to be a cannibal island. The natives, seeing the 
straits they were in, lighted their fires and began to 
dance around on the beach in eager prospect of the 
feast they expected so soon. On that boat there were 
but four Christians, the captain, the carpenter, the 
colored steward and Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor sug- 



PURPOSE AND PREPARATION. 67 

gested that each of them should go to his cabin and 
wait on God for a wind to carry them away from 
the impending and horrible fate. After a short time 
of prayer Mr. Taylor felt that the petition was 
granted, and coming up on deck said to the first offi- 
cer, who was then in charge : "Won't you let loose 
your mainsail, for a breeze is coming ?" With an oath 
the man replied: "I would rather see a breeze than 
merely hear of one." 

"And don't you see, away up in the topsail, a 
breeze is coming?" 

"Oh, it's nothing but a cat's-paw," the mate re- 
plied, as his eye followed Mr. Taylor's upward. 

"Cat's-paw or not, we might as well take advantage 
of what there is." 

And as the breeze continued to freshen, the offi- 
cer very gladly let out his clewed-up sails, and in a 
short time they were sailing away from the disap- 
pointed cannibals at a good many knots an hour. 

What were the mingled feelings of the young mis- 
sionary as at last he stepped on shore at Shanghai 
alone and without a friend or acquaintance, but in a 
country to which his life was given, can better be 
imagined than described. 



CHAPTER VL 



FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 

It is probable that no new missionary ever arrives 
in a heathen country without having a "bad time." 
All the old helps and props are gone; the old asso- 
ciations are broken. Alone as never before in his 
life, the newcomer must get into harness. Alone 
amidst the inconceivable wickedness of a heathen 
people ; alone with them and with God — does He not 
seem at times afar off? — he has to fight what are 
often the fiercest battles of life with the powers of 
darkness. 

Climate, surroundings, lack of sympathy, loneli- 
ness, everything seems against him. Health perhaps 
flags, and a remorseless adversary, with no sense of 
honor, comes to him — when he is down — to crush 
out spirit and hope and joy if he can. 

No missionary, probably, even of six months' 
standing, has any lingering shade of doubt as to the 
personality of the Evil One. Our warfare, Paul re- 
minds us, is against principalities and powers of dark- 
ness. And he believes it. He has good ground to 
believe it. He has battled with evil within him that 
is not himself, not even the old worse self he has 
learned to conquer since he came to know the Lord. 

Is it not highly probable that the great Enemy 

08 



FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 69 

plans and carries out a deliberate assault on every 
young warrior that comes against his old undisputed 
strongholds, with the deliberate intention to cripple 
him either in faith, in hope, or in love — to undo 
him as a missionary if he can ? Ask them, you will 
seldom or never get "No." 

If he comes out of the conflict unscathed he comes 
out the stronger. He is purer, better, brighter; gold 
refined in the fire. 

Hudson Taylor was no exception. He had his test- 
ing. When he landed he knew not a soul in China. 
But he had three introductions. The first friend, the 
chief hope, was dead — died a month or two before 
the young missionary arrived in Shanghai. The sec- 
ond, the next, was at home in America. The third, 
an unpromising introduction from a casual acquaint- 
ance, did help. Or the young missionary would have 
been badly off indeed. 

Civil war was raging, to add to difficulties. The 
dollar was dear — two and a quarter to the English 
sovereign instead of four or fixe as he expected. 
That halved his income. Moreover, lodgings were 
scarcely to be had at any price, and food was corre- 
spondingly expensive from the fact that the rebels 
were in possession of the native city of Shanghai, 
and were being slowly starved out and shelled out 
by the imperial soldiery. m 

But God did not desert him. A fellow missionary 
very kindly shared with him his home for the first 
few months. Then, to be more among the people, 



70 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

he lived in a native house: and though sometimes 
hungry, often sleepless from the danger of the siege, 
and always rather short of money — his salary was 
only eighty pounds — and suffering intensely from the 
horrors of war all around, and a great hunger of isola- 
tion within, he pulled through all right. Faithful- 
ness in the use of the two great energizers, prayer 
and Bible study, kept him going. He held on to God, 
and God kept him true. 

In a year from the time he landed, after minor 
attempts in six months, Mr. Taylor was preaching 
with some degree of ease in the mandarin dialect, 
and rejoiced to find that the people really understood 
him. What an Egyptian puzzle of a language it is ! 
Did anyone ever master its perplexing idioms, its 
curious sounds and characters, without feeling, as 
soon as he began to feel his new power, inclined to 
shout ? 

He and a fellow-missionary, however, had some 
very rough experiences, and on one occasion they 
came near losing their lives from some rough native 
militiamen off duty. But God delivered them. They 
had more work to do yet. 

Another time the young missionary was preaching 
in the open air. He enjoyed that day considerable 
liberty in speaking. His heart was full — full of joy 
and full of yearning love for the dark souls that 
faced him. One man, especially, right in front, drew 
his attention, and seemed deeply interested. Follow- 
ing a plan which works very well with a Chinese 



FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 71 

audience, Mr. Taylor addressed his remarks to this 
one attentive hearer, and all the rest looked on and 
listened. After preaching the grand old Gospel 
story — a new story to them, of course — fully and 
with ease for some time Mr. Taylor closed his ad- 
dress and began at once to engage in ordinary conver- 
sation with this man, asking first the usual questions 
of courtesy as to his name, his age, his residence, and 
replying to similar questions himself. They were 
now "introduced," and began to chat freely. As soon 
a? the man seemed thoroughly at home Mr. Taylor 
gave him an opportunity to ask questions in return. 

"I have been wanting to ask you a question for 
some time, foreign teacher." 

How the heart of the missionary leaped with hope ! 
Was this poor idolater indeed feeling after the truth, 
if haply he might find it ? Had he been really under- 
standing and drinking in the good tidings of sal- 
vation % 

"I want to ask," he said, "about this matter. I 
notice that you have buttons at the front of your 
coat, and corresponding buttonholes. I understand 
their use. But what are those buttons for in the 
middle of your back?" 

Imagine the feelings of Mr. Taylor. The revul- 
sion from hope to disappointment was almost more 
than he could bear. "I must get rid of this foreign 
dress which attracts so much attention," he said to 
himself. He determined the next time he went on 
a tour to dress like the people. 



72 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

He did, and was profoundly impressed by the 
difference it made. Much to his surprise and delight 
he succeeded in renting premises on the important 
island of Tsung-ming, in the main estuary of the 
Yang-tse, which, however, had to be abandoned later 
on account of the determined opposition of a native 
official. 

Not long after this he went on an evangelistic jour- 
ney with the saintly and delightfully companionable 
William C. Burns, than whom a better associate for 
a young missionary could not be found. Hudson 
Taylor soon came to love him as his own soul. Their 
plan was to work a canal-intersected district between 
Shanghai and Hang-chau as thoroughly as practicable 
by boat, selling tracts and Scriptures and preach- 
ing the Gospel at each place they passed. Before 
long Burns began to notice that he seemed to have 
all the bad times and Taylor all the courtesies. His 
young friend was invited here and there into people's 
homes and obtained a quiet hearing, while he, older 
and more experienced and with a better knowledge of 
the language, was declined admission on account of 
the crowds, and had the noisy lads and the roughs to 
deal with as best he might. 

Seeing how much better opportunities for work 
Mr. Taylor was having, after some weeks Mr. Burns 
also adopted the native dress, and keenly appreciated 
the change it brought about in the attitude of the 
people. Shortly after this he wrote in a letter to 
his mother: 



FOBMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 73 

'Tours weeks ago, on December 29th 
(1855), I put on the Chinese dress, which I 
am now wearing. Mr. Taylor had made 
this change a few months before, and I 
found that he was in consequence so much 
less incommoded in preaching, etc., by the 
crowd, that I concluded it was my duty to 
follow his example." 

They were greatly encouraged on this journey. 
!N*ot only did they receive a good hearing in many 
places but were daily refreshed by spiritual inter- 
course. Burns was a man who lived very near to 
God. He loved and was deeply taught in the Word, 
and was a man of prayer. This time of fellowship, 
in service and the things of God, was one Mr. Taylor 
long looked back to with pleasure and gratitude. 

On one occasion they met with serious trouble. 
Border towns in China, between two provinces, are 
often dangerous places. Bad characters congregate, 
and when "wanted" in this province flee over into 
that, beyond the jurisdiction of the offended justice 
of the peace. It was at a place appropriately called 
"Black-Town" that this trouble arose. Happily, how- 
ever, the missionaries escaped with no more serious 
consequences than a broken-in boat and a curtailed 
journey. Even so, it had lasted a good many weeks, 
and both were so much encouraged by their experi- 
ences on that long itineration and refreshed by one 
another's company, that they proposed to start out 



74 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

again after a few days' rest at Shanghai, with a fresh 
supply of books, on another similar tour. 

So they proposed. But God had another plan. 
Through a Christian captain who had recently come 
from Swatow they heard of a still greater need and 
an open door in that southern port. From the first 
Mr. Taylor felt this to be a call from God to him- 
self to go where no others were working. He faced 
the proposal, however, very prayerfully, suffering 
keenly at the thought of parting company with Will- 
iam Burns. One evening he came to the point, and 
with tears in his eyes told his companion of his de- 
cision. Mr. Burns seemed surprised and rather 
pleased than the reverse, to his astonishment, and 
told Mr. Taylor that he also had felt this a call from 
God, and only regretted that in going south he would 
need to part from his new but very dear friend. 

They went together, the captain giving them a free 
passage. At Swatow they found a very godless set 
of foreigners engaged in the then illicit opium traffic 
and in the coolie business, which was practically a 
trade in slaves. To be as little as possible associated, 
in the minds of the people, with these other foreign- 
ers, they attempted to obtain premises in the native 
city, but were, however, entirely unsuccessful at first. 
One day, happily, they met a Cantonese merchant, 
who was so delighted to hear Mr. Burns speaking his 
own dialect that he at once became friendly and se- 
cured them a lodging. The lodging was not much to 
boast of, it is true — only a single room under the tiles 



FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 75 

— roastingly hot in the long summer days, and not 
much better through the still, stifling nights. They 
made it a point to be as much away as they could on 
missionary journeys, and were thankful to have a 
home of any kind among the people. 

After four months at Swatow, Mr. Taylor ren- 
dered an important medical service to the local man- 
darin at a time when the native doctors were wholly 
unable to give relief. Grateful, as usual, for medical 
help, he advised the missionaries to rent a place for 
a hospital and dispensary, and through his influence 
they succeeded in obtaining the whole of the house 
in which they heretofore had occupied such narrow 
quarters. 

To open this hospital it was necessary that Mr. 
Taylor should return to Shanghai and obtain his med- 
ical supplies and surgical instruments, which had 
been left behind with a friend. He went, but was 
disappointed to find they had been destroyed in a 
fire. Funds were low and medical supplies were very 
dear in Shanghai, so he decided to obtain what he 
needed, if possible, from his medical colleague, Dr. 
Parker, of Ning-po. On the journey to that city he 
had some very trying experiences and lost all the 
property he had with him, to the value of about two 
hundred gold dollars, with which his servant ab- 
sconded. For a time he was in uncertainty what to 
do in the matter. He could easily have traced and 
prosecuted the servant, but determined not to do so 
on account of our Lord's injunctions in the Sermon 



76 THESE EOKTY YEARS. 

on the Mount. Mr. Taylor had repeatedly pressed 
the claims of Christ on the man, and felt that it was 
far more important in his interest to practice what he 
preached than that the man should be punished. 
There was very little prospect of recovering the 
stolen property in any case, and the man's soul was 
worth incomparably more than the value of the 
goods. A friend at home heard of this decision, and 
was so pleased that he immediately forwarded a 
check for forty pounds sterling; and not only so, but 
for the remainder of his life continued to take a pro- 
found and very practical interest in the work in 
which Mr. Taylor was engaged, and in its future 
developments. 

Through this rencontre Mr. Taylor was considerably 
delayed and suffered no little hardship, being left 
without money a long distance from Shanghai, and 
finding great difficulty in returning. 

When, eventually, he had obtained the needed in- 
struments and medical stores from Dr. Parker, war 
had broken out — the second Opium War between 
England and China — and letters from Mr. Burns 
awaited him at Shanghai saying that missionary oper- 
ations were for the time being impossible at Swatow. 
Then Mr. Taylor knew why the Lord had permitted 
the tantalizing delay, and glad as he was of the oppor- 
tunities and experience at Swatow, it became quite 
clear afterwards that the Lord did not wish him 
to return. 

Mr. Burns remained at Swatow for a time, but was 






FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 77 

arrested on an evangelistic journey, imprisoned and 
sent in custody all the way to Canton. 

Thus ended an important and most formative 
period of the young missionary's life. 

The journey to Mng-po, however, resulted in an 
unexpected development. Mr. Taylor had made the 
acquaintance there of the Rev. John Jones, he and 
Dr. Parker being members of the same Society as 
himself. The way being closed to Swatow he deter- 
mined to join his confreres at Klng-po. On the jour- 
ney, traveling by boat, he came into contact with a 
Chinaman who knew something of foreigners and 
had received the name of Peter, but was till now 
entirely ignorant of the Gospel. The man became 
interested and requested permission to join Mr. Tay- 
lor in a preaching expedition in one of the large 
towns they passed, to Mr. Taylor's great satisfaction, 
for he longed to see this intelligent listener more 
completely under the influence of the Truth. Mr. 
Taylor went into the cabin to get books for use in the 
city, and while he was there heard a sudden splash. 
He leaped on deck, but Peter was gone. Evidently 
he had fallen overboard. In a moment Mr. Taylor 
had pulled down the sail and jumped into the water, 
but nothing could be seen of the missing man. Just 
then a fishing boat came along with a drag net, and 
Mr. Taylor begged the men at once to draw and see 
if they could bring up the drowning man. 

"Puh pien," they replied, "it is not convenient." 

"But a man is drowning," Mr. Taylor cried. 



78 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

"Drag at once, and I will give you more than jour 
day's fishing is worth." , 

"How much will you give us ?" the men demanded, 
seeing how much the foreigner was in earnest. 

"All I have," Mr. Taylor said, "only drag at once 
or it will be too late." 

"How much have you?" they continued, with 
heartless indifference. 

"I don't know exactly, about fourteen dollars." 

And then they dragged and brought up the dead 
body of the missing man. 

Sick at heart, Mr. Taylor could not but be re- 
minded of the callous indifference of too many to the 
condition of the perishing multitudes of heathendom. 
These fishermen were surely guilty of the death of 
the man they declined to save until too late. 

May we not be equally guilty before God, in our 
relation to the lost, if we "forbear to deliver them 
that are drawn unto death ?" He that keepeth thy 
soul, doth He not know it, and shall He not render 
to every man according to his work? 

It was now nearing the end of 1856, and the work 
at Ning-po began to be more and more encouraging. 
But about this time Mr. Taylor found himself face 
to face with a serious difficulty. He learned that 
the Society with which he was connected was in debt, 
and remembering that we are commanded through 
the Holy Spirit to "owe no man anything," Mr. Tay- 
lor made it a matter of prayer, and became increas- 
ingly convinced that debt was just as much dis- 






FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 79 

obedience in an association of Christians as in an in- 
dividual. After some months of correspondence, find- 
ing that the Society could not agree to his proposal 
to send him money when they had it, and merely to 
let him know when they were short, Mr. Taylor felt 
compelled to resign. He did so, without having any 
"visible means of support," but he put the matter into 
the Lord's hands and felt sure that He would bless 
a course of obedience, all the more, probably, because 
it cost something to take it. He was quite prepared 
to engage in business if necessary, but told the Lord 
he would much prefer to be wholly engaged in mis- 
sionary work, and would be quite willing to live on 
the least possible income if the Lord would graciously 
send it in some way or other. 

His colleague, Mr. Jones, entirely agreeing with 
Mr. Taylor, took the same step at the same time, and 
in many remarkable ways their needs were all met, 
though not without their having to endure from time 
to time a good deal of hardness. But this we are ex- 
horted to, are we not, "as good soldiers of Jesus 
Christ V 

It will be remembered that Mr. Taylor was only 
twenty-four, that he had been but three years in 
China, and that at this time his name was unknown 
outside a very limited set of personal friends and 
acquaintances in the work. On one occasion the two 
missionaries, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Jones, were re- 
duced to a single cash, then worth the tenth part of 
a cent, and their food supply was exhausted. After 



\ 



80 THESE FORTY YEABS. 

a time of prayer they thought they would try to sell 
the only marketable thing they possessed, a foreign 
stove, with which, however, they were very loth to 
part. Together they went down to the river and were 
about to cross to the foundry when they saw the 
bridge of boats had been washed away, and they were 
without the money to pay for the ferry. "God must 
be going to supply our needs in some other way," 
they thought, and returned home. 

Searching a seemingly empty cupboard they found 
a small remainder of cocoa. This, with boiling water, 
somewhat refreshed them. Again they waited on the 
Lord about their need, a need which Mr. Taylor felt 
the more keenly because he was engaged to be mar- 
ried in a fortnight, and that very evening the lady 
in question, Miss Dyer, and a friend, were expected 
to tea. While they were still on their knees the post- 
man came with a lettter containing a very welcome 
lemittance from home. They thanked God and took 
courage, and the wedding was not postponed. 

Faith wavered at times, but God's faithfulness 
never failed them. 

On another occasion Mr. Taylor had been nursing 
a fellow-missionary, Mr. Quarterman, of the Amer- 
ican Presbyterian Board, through a fatal attack of 
virulent small-pox. After the sad ministry was ended 
it was needful to lay aside the clothes he had been 
wearing for fear of conveying infection. But he had 
no other clothes, nor money to buy them. "No good 
thing will He withhold" was often a sheet anchor 



FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 81 

to his faith at such times. He asked God for clothes. 
And a box of clothes arrived at that very time from 
Swatow, his own things that had been left with Mr. 
Burns the year before. Again and again the learner 
was given precious lessons in the faithfulness of God. 

"Those who trust Him wholly, 
Find Him wholly true." 

And so, thank God, do those who trust Him very 
imperfectly. He never changes. "If we believe not, 
yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Him self ." 

In the year 1859 a great sorrow came to the little 
company. Not long before, Mrs. Taylor had been 
graciously raised up in answer to definite prayer from 
an illness that almost ended fatally, during which 
Dr. Parker's kind services were invaluable. And now 
Mrs. Parker was stricken with a severe attack of Asi- 
atic cholera, and after a brief illness passed away. 

For the children's sake Dr. Parker had to return 
home. The hospital he thought must be closed, for 
he had supported it by his own private practice 
among foreigners, and the expenses were consider- 
able. He had, however, quite a supply of medicines. 
Would Mr. Taylor keep on the dispensary ? Asking 
a week for prayer while the doctor was making his 
preparations for the journey home, Mr. Taylor be- 
came convinced that he ought to undertake not only 
the dispensary but the hospital also, since the latter 
gave a much better opportunity for reaching the 
hearts of the patients with the Gospel. Dr. Parker 



82 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

was much surprised and tried to dissuade him. But 
Mr. Taylor's mind was made up, and the doctor was 
able to leave behind enough to pay the salaries of the 
native assistants for the current month. At the end 
of that time they resigned, very naturally, when they 
learned that Mr. Taylor was unable to promise them 
their usual salary, not having money in hand for the 
purpose. A little church, however, had been gathered 
by this time, and several of the native Christians 
volunteered to help. They agreed to wait upon God 
in prayer, and to do the work gratuitously unless God 
should send the needed supplies. This change was, 
of course, a great help in the spiritual work among 
the patients. 

Their faith was tested. The supply of rice grew 
smaller and smaller. The patients, who averaged 
about fifty in number, were invited to join in prayer 
to God that the needs of the work might be met. One 
morning the cook came to Mr. Taylor and said: "The 
last bag of rice has been opened." 

"Then God's answer to our prayers must be very 
near at hand," Mr. Taylor replied, and left the room, 
lie went away for a time of quiet prayer with Mrs. 
Taylor, with a considerable load on his heart, which 
the cook had not seen, but which the Father had. 
They waited earnestly on God to meet their urgent 
need. That very day a remarkable letter reached 
Mr. Taylor from England, which contained a check 
for fifty pounds. The writer had recently lost his 
father and had inherited a considerable increase of 



FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN CHINA. 83 

wealth. He said that he did not propose to increase 
his personal expenditure, for which he had ample 
before, but intended to hold this additional money at 
the Lord's disposal, for use in His service. "If you 
can help me in this stewardship," he concluded, "I 
shall be very grateful, and if you know of any way 
in which more money can be used in the Lord's work 
I shall be glad if you will let me know." 

After a time of thanksgiving with Mrs. Taylor the 
native helpers were called in, and they had forthwith 
a rather noisy but very hearty praise meeting. Be- 
fore many moments the patients knew all about it. 
"What do you think of this ?" the men said. "There 
is a man over in England who has more money than 
he knows what to do with (an extraordinary condition 
to the Chinese mind) and has sent two hundred and 
fifty dollars, he does not know what for, in the hope 
that it may be needed in the work." The patients 
confessed they had never heard of such a thing, and 
were deeply impressed. During the nine months that 
Mr. Taylor had charge of this hospital forty-eight 
patients professed faith in the Lord. 

The experience was very valuable, but the strain 
of all this additional work, besides the responsibility 
of the growing little church was too much for Mr. 
Taylor's health. He became seriously ill and was 
obliged, most reluctantly, to leave the little band of 
earnest native Christians who were becoming such 
active, hearty fellow-workers. Nothing but sheer 
necessity would have persuaded Mr. Taylor to leave 






84 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

at such a time. He hoped, however, that a few 
months at home would restore him, and then he 
would be able to return to his much-loved service and 
his earnest fellow-Christians. 

Some months before, impressed by the growing 
opportunities of the work and the doors that seemed 
to be opening on every hand, Mr. Taylor had written 
to relatives at home : 

"Do you know any earnest, devoted 
young men desirous of serving God in 
China who, not wishing for more than their 
actual support, would be willing to come 
out and labor here? Oh, for four or five 
such helpers ! They would probably begin 
to preach in Chinese in six months' time, 
and in answer to prayer the necessary 
means for their support would be found." 

"No help came then, and, not long after, health gave 
way. But the little church went on and prospered, 
and became, as the years went by, a bright influence 
for good in that city and neighborhood. 

In good time for the journey home, funds came to 
hand, not only ample for their own needs but suffi- 
cient for Mr. Taylor to bring with him a young native 
helper, whom he hoped to use both in preparing lit- 
erature for the growing church and in teaching the 
language to new missionaries, whom they confidently 
believed God would send. We shall see how that 
expectation was fulfilled. 



CHAPTEE VI I. 



INAUGURATION. 

How remarkably in all these things one traces the 
hand of God. Of every believer it is true that "we 
are His workmanship, created . . unto good works, 
which God hath before ordained that we should walk 
in them." And is it not abundantly apparent from 
what we have seen, that God was preparing a special 
instrument for a great work; a "good work" fore- 
ordained for Hudson Taylor, that he should com- 
mence the evangelization of inland China? 

From infancy, in thoughtful childhood, in early 
manhood among medical students, in the difficulties 
of missionary service in China, surely God was fitting 
His vessel for His use. 

Even disappointments were proving a blessing. As 
Pastor Stearns, of Germantown, has said, "Disap- 
pointments are His appointments." They were, cer- 
tainly, for Hudson Taylor. It had been hard to leave 
that little church at Ning-po, whose whole-hearted 
earnestness and loving, happy faces were opening 
doors on every hand, doors that might not remain 
open always if they were not entered, and that were, 
in point of fact, closed the very next year through 
the T'ai-p'ing rebellion. But we know now that God 

85 



86 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

was resting His servant with a view to a future that 
no man could foresee. 

It had been hard to hear the doctors say that re- 
turn to China was impossible, at any rate for many 
years to come. But without the long recruiting time, 
and prayer and work at home, the C. I. M. probably 
would never have been born. 

It had been hard to hear the missionary secretaries 
say they could not take up work toward the evan- 
gelization of inland China. But if they could have 
done so this new Mission would never have been sug- 
gested, Verily, God was behind it all. And His serv- 
ant needed to stand back a little if he was to see, in 
its true perspective and magnitude, the whole sweep 
of the need of that vast country. At Ning-po he was 
too near to see clearly anything but the dark fore- 
ground of the heathen immediately around him. 

We have seen the conflict that went on in Mr. Tay- 
lor's heart; how he shrank from attempting so impos- 
sible a task; how at last convinced of the will of God 
he yielded, and with simple, childlike faith said, I 
will if Thou wilt. I will do what thou wiliest, if only 
Thou wilt bear all the responsibilities entailed by 
obedience to Thy command. This was surely a chal- 
lenge in which God could take pleasure. "Con- 
cerning the work of My hands command ye Me !" He 
says. We do well, humbly, reverently, to take Him 
at His word. And to do so every time. 

We have seen how that step of faith at Brighton 
on June 25th, 1865, led up to the prayer "for twenty- 



INAUGURATION. 87 

four willing, skillful laborers" to go two and two to 
the eleven unoccupied provinces and to Mongolia. 

It remains now to trace the answer to that prayer. 
From the first Mr. Taylor had no doubt the prayer 
would be answered. Of course not. If he had, he 
might have prayed in vain. But "faith without 
works" was no part of his program. He had far too 
strong common sense for that. If God was about to 
start a Mission to unevangelized China he must pray 
and consider as to the method of the work. "See that 
thou make all things according to the pattern showed 
to thee on the mount," God had said to Moses. And 
it was not less important that this work also should 
be after the pattern and the plan of God. 

Mr. Taylor recognized that in these days God re- 
veals His will usually not by visions or dreams or 
sudden inspirations, as some would seem to suppose, 
but by His Word, His perennial message to mankind. 
With a new interest and ambition he came to its, 
study. What had it to say about this new venture, 
built on impossibilities and the direct command of 
God? 

He valued greatly also the counsel of godly men. 
The "counsel of the ungodly" he had no use for, even 
though it were friendly. God has no pleasure in it, 
for it leaves Him out of account. "Whatsoever He 
doeth shall prosper" is the portion of those who do 
not walk in their counsel, but do delight in and walk 
according to the law of the Lord. 

He was brought much in contact, at this time, with 



88 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

an unusually wise counsellor, Mr. Berger, whose 
friendship had been given him while still in China. 
It was he who had sent gifts that arrived most op- 
portunely more than once. And now in his home, 
two hours' journey by train and drive from London, 
at Saint Hill in picturesque Surrey, much of the 
planning for the new Mission was done. More saintly 
people Mr. Taylor could not have consulted. Mr. 
and Mrs. Berger took from the first a keen interest 
in the proposal. To their advice and sympathy the 
young missionary owed as much as to their coopera- 
tion and their gifts. In that quiet country home, 
stately, remote, delightful, or out on its beautiful 
lawns, or under the weeping limes, looking through 
at the sunshine on lake and park and undulating 
country, the foundations were slowly but deeply laid 
and the new venture received its name — the China 
Inland Mission. 

One thing Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and their friends 
felt very strongly. The Mission must not conflict in 
any way with existing agencies. Already twenty 
different Societies were working in China, in perhaps 
a dozen stations all around the coast. The first 
sheaves were being garnered, sheaves which the de- 
voted workers confidently believed were but the first- 
fruits of the coming harvest. There was, however, 
for the new Mission an entirely new sphere. No fear 
of overlapping on the field! Inland China, away 
from the coast country and Han-kow, was, as we have 
already seen, entirely without a Protestant mission- 



INAUGUBATION. 89 

ary. And the need, as they saw it, for this new 
sphere of service was new workers and new money : 
workers who would probably not go out in connec- 
tion with the existing Boards, and funds which should 
not curtail or lessen in any way contributions to the 
old, established work. 

Thus far workers for China had been drawn ex- 
clusively from the student class and had been men 
with a college education. As leaders in any mis- 
sionary movement such workers, Mr. Taylor felt, 
would always be indispensable, but surely to carry 
the simple Gospel of faith in God and salvation from 
sin through our Lord Jesus Christ, men and women 
who could win souls at home were likely to win souls 
in China. Moreover, the actual number of men and 
women available, with high educational advantages, 
who were not only able but willing to go, was very 
limited and wholly inadequate to meet the need. And 
it was not even an open question to this little com- 
pany of counsellors that spiritual fitness must always 
take precedence of intellectual attainment. The deep 
things of the Kingdom have been apt to be hidden 
from the wise and prudent and revealed to babes. 
Men and women of childlike faith, and of childlike 
unquestioning obedience, were what they agreed to 
ask of God. 

They decided also that the basis of this supple- 
mentary Mission should be not denominational, but 
simply Christian. If salvation depends on faith in 
Christ, and on that alone, what need to introduce to 



90 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

the converts away in the interior of China the little 
differences of Western Christendom? It was in this 
quiet home also that they finally decided to take up 
no collections, and to make no definite appeals for 
funds, for reasons which have been explained. Since, 
then, there would be no settled income, and as they 
determined that debt, being dishonoring to God and 
explicitly forbidden, should never be contracted, it 
was obviously impossible to promise a settled allow- 
ance to the members of the Mission. They would 
have no stipulated salary, and would go out, if they 
went at all, trusting in a covenant-keeping God to 
supply their every need. They must, therefore, be 
men and women who knew what it was, practically, 
to a have faith in God." 

Mr. Taylor's previous experience in China now 
stood him in good stead. He determined for himself 
and his fellow-missionaries that they would be pre- 
pared to accommodate themselves, in all wise ways, 
to the conditions among which they worked. In mat- 
ters of dress, in the houses they occupied, in the 
minor as well as the major courtesies of life, they 
would conform as far as possible to the preferences 
of the people, that they might the more readily make 
friends, and thus gaining influence and respect among 
a people who cannot understand Western ways and 
manners, they would use this leverage in winning 
men and women to the Master. If the love of Christ 
constrained them to go, surely love to Christ and to 
souls would make them willing for all these lesser 



INAUGURATION. 91 

sacrifices. The methods of the work were partly 
new, perhaps, but the principle was old, the grand 
old fundamental principle of FAITH. 

The plan of campaign they proposed was equally 
simple. It was just this : to send out workers as God 
opened up the way, two and two, into each of the 
unoccupied provinces, and later on, perhaps, if the 
work should grow still further, to follow out this 
Apostolic method in greater detail. 

Of course, there would be many who would doubt 
the feasibility of the whole thing, but there was after 
all no mystery about it, save the mystery of GOD, 
Who had commanded, "Go ye into all the world and 
preach the Gospel to every creature." If He in- 
tended His servants to carry out His command noth- 
ing would be impossible to Him. 

But not planning only was needed. To find God's 
men for the work it was necessary to make known the 
need and the opening for service. This Mr. Taylor 
did in two ways. He drew up a series of papers 
on the spiritual needs and claims of China, con- 
vincing appeals, which won their way to many hearts, 
and drew forth not a little interest in China and the 
proposed new Mission. At the same time Mr. Taylor 
embraced every opportunity that arose for speaking 
of the needs of the people in public. He went, about 
this time, to the annual conference for the deepening 
of spiritual life at Perth, in Scotland. Such confer- 
ences, so common now, were rare then, and gathered 
together some of the most godly and earnest souls 



92 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

to be found in the British Isles. Mr. Taylor met with 
them from day to day, and enjoyed greatly the fel- 
lowship with kindred spirits. The burden of his soul, 
however, they did not share. He longed that they 
should know more, and pray more, about the con- 
ditions of millions of our fellow-men in China. At 
last with much difficulty he overcame his natural 
reticence and, calling upon the conveners, asked for 
an opportunity to bring the overwhelming needs of 
China before the conference. "But," the chairman 
said with manifest surprise, "this is a meeting for 
edification !" 

Yes, Mr. Taylor said, he knew, but surely it could 
not be unedifying to the Lord's people to consider 
whether they were bound to obey His last command 
or not, and to let themselves feel some compassion 
for the starving multitudes of heathendom who had 
no chance of tasting the Bread of Life. Very ear- 
nestly he pleaded for the time. 

After some time for consideration, the answer was 
sent that next morning at the principal session of 
the conference Mr. Taylor would have twenty min- 
utes to speak of the needs of China. How much it 
cost the young missionary to address that great 
gathering will never, probably, be known. He rose 
at four in the morning and wrestled with God in 
prayer for the grace and the power to rightly bring 
before His people the overwhelming needs of China. 
And thus from the presence of God he went to that 
great assembly of His people. As he stood before 



INAUGURATION. 93 

them, that great, surprised, expectant audience, his 
courage failed. He had not a word to say. There 
was One, however, to Whom he could speak with 
freedom of the great need that He only knew suffi- 
ciently. 

"Let us pray," he said, and five minutes of the 
precious time was spent in fervent, definite prayer 
to God for the hundreds of millions of lost souls, souls 
for whom Christ has died, in that greatest of all 
heathen countries. When he finished, his nervous- 
ness was gone. He was conscious only of God, of 
His presence and His help. 

Then followed a quarter of an hour of vivid de- 
scription and of burning appeal for the people of 
China. The audience was hushed and solemnized 
and deeply interested, and those who were present 
at that gathering thirty-seven years ago say they can 
never forget the impression which was left upon their 
minds. 

From Perth Mr. Taylor went to Liverpool, and 
from there, in company with Mr. Grattan Guinness, 
the orator-evangelist of Dublin, visited Ireland. 
After holding missionary meetings at Dublin, Cork, 
Limerick, Belfast and other places, Mr. Taylor re- 
turned to England. And in the same year he was 
present at the great Mildmay Conference, presided 
over by that saintly Episcopal clergyman, William 
Pennefather. 

As a result of these and other meetings not only was 
sympathy obtained, lasting and prayerful sympathy, 



94 THESE FORTY YEAES. 

but men and women offered themselves for the work. 
Applications were received from over forty volun- 
teers. The most suitable of these, fifteen or sixteen 
in number, were selected and invited to stay with Mr. 
and Mrs. Taylor, to commence work on the language 
and enjoy a time of fellowship in Bible study, Mr. 
Taylor having meanwhile the best of opportunities 
for deciding as to their fitness for the work. The 
small home in the east end of London, chosen for its 
proximity to the London Hospital and for its loca- 
tion among the poor, was of course no longer suffi- 
cient. They moved, when the first candidates ar- 
rived, to a larger house in Coborn Street, one of the 
many turnings out of Bow Road, that main artery 
of East London. Soon this also became too small. 
They prayed about the matter, and there and then 
the next door neighbor vacated his house, and they 
obtained immediate possession. Day by day at noon 
the whole company met for united prayer about 
China and its needs, and about the launching of the 
Mission, and every Saturday afternoon a similar 
meeting was held to which friends were invited. 

Thus, in Bible study and work upon the language, 
the time passed rapidly, until by Christmas a party 
of approved workers were ready and in training. But 
the funds were not forthcoming. This, however, did 
not discourage them. They determined, on the last 
day of the old year, to have a special time of fasting 
and prayer about funds and other yet more important 
matters. And so much blessing resulted to the mem- 



Il 







FRONT PAGE OF THE OLD "OCCASIONAL PAPER." 



INAUGURATION. 95 

bers of the little company that the practice of fasting 
and prayer on New Year's eve became a custom in 
the China Inland Mission, and it has been ever since, 
both at home and on the field. 

It seemed desirable now to commence the publica- 
tion of an "Occasional Paper" which, three or four 
times a year, might set forth some account of the 
work for and in China. In the preliminary number, 
drawn up in January, 1866, Mr. Taylor mentioned 
that a party of workers were in training to go out, 
and would probably sail in May if the way were clear, 
and that the expense for passage and outfit would 
probably be from fifteen hundred to two thousand 
pounds sterling. The manuscript was ready for the 
printer on the sixth of February. 

As soon as this was out of hand, they felt the time 
had come to commence waiting regularly on God 
about this important and immediate need of funds. 
Daily at the mid-day meeting, the little company 
united in asking the Lord of the harvest to provide 
what was needed. 

Thus February passed. Owing to a fire at the 
printer's it was not until the twelfth of March that 
the pamphlet was received, just a month and six days 
from the completion of the manuscript. As soon as 
the paper came it occurred to Mr. Taylor that before 
this statement about the work was put into circu- 
lation they should add up the accounts and see 
what had already come to hand. From January 1st 
to February 6th, one month and six days, the equiv- 



96 THESE F0ETY YEAES. 

alent of eight hundred and fifty dollars ($850) had 
been received. How much had come in during the 
next equal period of daily prayer for funds ? It was 
found that nine thousand eight hundred and fifty 
dollars ($9,850) had been contributed. It need hardly 
be added that this was a great encouragement to 
faith, and confirmed their determination to look to 
God for everything. 

But an unusual difficulty now occurred to them. 
Here was the first "Occasional Paper" with a refer- 
ence to a probable expenditure of seven to ten thou- 
sand dollars for passages and outfits, and now already 
the entire need was met. It remained simply to add 
a colored insert saying that the Lord had graciously 
supplied all that was needed, through His servants. 
Mr. Taylor was reminded of the dilemma of Moses 
when the people brought too much for the building 
of the tabernacle, and had to send out a proclamation 
that they should cease giving. I wonder, thought he, 
if the Lord's people laid less emphasis on finance, and 
more on the spiritual side of work for God, whether 
such difficulties as this of Moses might not occur more 
frequently. 

It may be mentioned that during the next month 
and six days, March 12th to April 18th, there came 
in only two thousand six hundred dollars ($2,600), 
abundant for present needs at home and in China. 
In China, because that prayer of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor 
as they were leaving China, for five laborers for the 
growing !N"ing-po work, had not been forgotten by 



INAUGURATION. 97 

those who prayed nor unanswered by the God Who 
heard. The five workers had been on the field some 
time, and had recently been reinforced by the first 
three members of the C. I. M., Mr. and Mrs. Steven- 
son and Mr. Stott. 

With regard to Mr. Stott, there had been some 
difficulty in Mr. Taylor's mind about his going to 
China, on account of the fact that, while his health 
was good, he had lost one leg through an accident. 
The needs of the country, however, were deeply laid 
upon his heart. And when Mr. Taylor, at their first 
interview, asked how it would fare with him in a riot, 
how he would be able to escape if his life were in 
danger at some new station, Mr. Stott replied that he 
had not thought of running away. When Mr. Taylor 
pressed the question as to how he would get on 
among such an unfriendly people he expressed the 
conviction that in the war of God "the lame shall 
take the prey." In all other respects Mr. Stott's case 
was perfectly clear, so, of course, he was accepted. 

It will not be supposed that during these early 
days of planning and preparing, the more serious 
difficulties were forgotten. As they presented them- 
selves they were simply made matters of prayer. 
Would the country prove to be open? Would the 
workers be able to go and to work inland? And if 
they were able, would there be sufficient safety to 
life to make the work reasonably practicable ? And 
how, if the workers did succeed and opened stations 
in the far interior, would it be possible to transmit 



98 THESE F0ETY YEAES. 

funds to these isolated outposts ? All these and many 
other serious problems faced them, but over against 
all they placed the great answer — Grod. He Who 
openeth and no man shutteth would surely go before 
them. Not only would they not be sent warring at 
their own charges, but the Captain of salvation would 
Himself be with them, to Whom all power and a all 
authority hath been given in heaven" with our Father 
"and on earth" with men, and He would prosper 
them in all the varied difficulties and embarrassments 
they went to face for Him. 

At this time, March, 1865, the number of mission- 
aries in China had dwindled down to ninety-one, 
about one man to four millions. But, of course, in 
the interior the need was limitless, for among its hun- 
dreds of millions there was not a single missionary. 
No wonder these new recruits felt they must go, 
whatever hindered. 

The party now in readiness consisted of sixteen 
workers, including Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, returning 
with their little children (of whom the writer was 
one), besides Miss Bausam, who was to join Dr. and 
Mrs. Lord, of the American Baptist Union, and the 
children's nurse. The next thing to pray for was suit- 
able accommodation for the journey, not an easy 
thing to find in those days for a party of twenty-two. 

About that time Mr. Taylor went to Totteridge, 
a village not far from London, for a lecture on China, 
which he had promised to give with the understand- 
ing that no collection should be taken. He spoke as 



INAUGURATION. 99 

usual of the needs of the country, the deplorable 
needs that he had seen and felt, and also of the new 
effort to meet those needs, very earnestly asking 
prayer for the workers so soon to sail for China. The 
audience was deeply moved. The chairman, Mr. 
Puget, in closing the meeting urged that there ought 
to be a collection, and hoped that as the suggestion 
came from himself and not from the speaker, Mr. 
Taylor would not refuse what seemed the unanimous 
wish of the audience. Mr. Taylor, however, rose and 
said that he would very much prefer that the printed 
announcement of the meeting be adhered to and no 
collection taken. If any who were present wished 
to help forward God's work in China, after prayerful 
consideration they could send what they wished to 
any of the existing missionary societies that had 
workers in China, or it could be sent to the China 
Inland Mission; but what he desired just then was 
that each one should leave the meeting burdened with 
a sense of the need of China and the duty of the 
Lord's people to meet that need. 

When they reached home Mr. Puget told his guest 
he felt a mistake had been made in refusing to that 
interested audience an opportunity to share in the 
good work. Mr. Taylor ventured to differ; he 
thought that too often the benefit of such a meeting 
was lost through people easing their consciences by 
giving what was convenient at the moment and then 
going away and forgetting the need and the claim 
upon their sympathy and prayers. 

Lore. 



100 THESE FOETY TEABS. 

ISText morning his kind host came down late and 
looked weary. He had had a bad night. The awful 
picture of those ignorant, neglected multitudes going 
out into the night of eternity without hope, without 
Christ, kept coming back to him in all its awful sig- 
nificance. He had spent much of the night in prayer. 
After breakfast he asked Mr. Taylor to his study, 
gave him several little contributions that had been 
left with him the night before, and then handed Mr. 
Taylor an envelope saying, "I believe you were right. 
If there had been a collection I should have put in 
probably a five-pound note, but now after prayer I 
feel that God would have me give you this." In the 
envelope was a check for Hve hundred pounds. This 
little incident was a great encouragement to Mr. 
Taylor. 

He went straight from there to the shipping agents, 
whose letter had reached him that very morning at 
breakfast, and finding the accommodation of the sail- 
ing vessel "Lammermuir" ample and convenient, 
paid the check on account. Thus, in His own ex- 
ceeding abundant measure, the Lord provided for all 
the needs of the work. They had prayed for from 
seven to ten thousand dollars, and the Lord in answer 
had sent them considerably over fifteen thousand. He 
knew better than they how much would be needed. 

One other thing remained to settle. Who, when 
all the workers were out in China, would "hold the 
ropes" at home? Who would receive and forward 
subscriptions and answer correspondence, and who 



INAUGURATION. 101 

would interview and accept suitable candidates that 
might offer for the work? These double responsibil- 
ities of representative and treasurer Mr. Berger very 
cordially undertook. All then was ready. 

The effort to meet the need was a small one, truly, 
and the workers had not even the certain prospect of 
a home when they arrived in China. But weak 
though they were, the Almighty God was with them. 
"I can do all things" they could say with Paul (lit. 
"I have strength to do all things") "in Christ Which 
strengthened me." So, trusting in him, they started 
out on their difficult and untried way. 

The voyage was not uneventful. No one of the 
party that sailed on the "Lammermuir" will ever for- 
get it, that is certain, not even the children : two of 
whom are members of the C. I. M. to-day, the other 
two are living with Him Who best loves little chil- 
dren and Who took them from China to be educated, 
perfected, under His own immediate care. 

Before the ship left the London docks the mission- 
aries were commended to God by a little circle of 
friends and well-wishers who saw them off. They 
said good-bye to England with the confident expecta- 
tion that the good hand of God would be upon them, 
and that they would have plenty of opportunities for 
service on the way. Had they not very definitely 
asked God to gather a crew to whom He would bless 
their message ? 

The voyage was necessarily long. The Suez Canal 
was not yet opened, and sailing round the Cape of 



102 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Good Hope could not but occupy several months. All 
went serenely, however. Captain Bell and his offi- 
cers were as kind as kind could be, and in studying 
the language and in fellowship over the Word and 
in prayer the days sped delightfully. 

In a letter home from Java Mr. Taylor writes of 
the delightful voyage they were having, very little 
rough weather, favorable winds and, even in the 
tropics, cool, delightful days and restful nights. Al- 
ready, by the blessing of God on meetings held each 
Sunday, and often on weekday evenings as well, no 
less than twenty men had been brought to the Lord. 
The ship's company, including the captain and offi- 
cers, were only thirty-four in all, so that with three 
who were Christians before, only eleven remained 
to be prayed for and won if possible. 

It was hardly to be expected, however, that 3uch a 
company of earnest soul seekers would be allowed to 
reach China without any serious obstacle. Soon after 
leaving Java, in the China Sea, they met with two ter- 
rific hurricanes, typhoons (great winds) the Cantonese 
call them. Booms, spars and masts, one after another, 
and part of the gunwale and deck gear, went over- 
board, and when, after laboring all through the first, 
and enjoying a brief season of comparative quiet, the 
second came on, the crew lost all hope of bringing the 
leaking wreck to port. Mr. Taylor, however, con- 
fident that God had work for them to do in China, 
encouraged the crew, and the whole party, ladies as 
well as men, helped day and night at the pumps. 



INAUGURATION. 103 

Thus at last, by God's great mercy, the poor old 
"Lammermuir," that had so nearly gone to pieces, 
was towed safe home into Shanghai harbor. 

It is not hard to imagine the feelings of relief and 
thankfulness with which the weary, sea-battered 
party arrived at their desired haven. In spite of all 
the malice of the Enemy, the prince of the "power of 
the air," they had reached the land to which their 
lives were given! 

Where they would go, what they would do, they 
could not tell. They had no certainty but One. He 
Who had called them was with them, and all was 
well. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 



a A few months' time" was the limit set by critics 
for the duration of the Mission. "Madmen, luna- 
tics !" said a Shanghai newspaper in a facetious 
article, "Why do not their people keep them at home 
in an asylum, where they would be harmless to them- 
selves and the community?" But such prophecies 
and such questions need but one answer — time. 

Probably these comments of those who saw noth- 
ing in the new departure but vagary were a tonic, a 
stimulant even, to these adventurers who, in obedi- 
ence to a divine command, had launched out into the 
deep on the sea of faith. 

For they needed encouragement. And this may 
have helped them, casting them back on Him who 
never fails. Can we picture their position? 

It was not a strong, or a wise, or a confident party 
that found themselves moored in the Shanghai har- 
bor that thirtieth of September, 1866. Yet strong 
they were in the strength of Him Who was with 
them ; wise they were in that which is wisdom indeed, 
and confident they were that God would not forsake 
them. Like many another missionary pioneer, they 
did not know what to do first, or even where they 
would live. It was very evident that they were "not 

104 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 105 

wanted," not even welcome, in China, and as time 
passed this would become increasingly evident. But 
oh, how they were needed ! That at least they knew, 
and they thanked God : for many mercies thus far 
and deliverance from a stormy grave; for a great 
need realized and for the opportunity to meet it — 
their "call" to missionary service — they thanked God 
and strengthened their hearts in Him. 

Not only did they need a temporary shelter for 
themselves, but where should they store all their 
baggage, their printing presses and type, their med- 
ical and surgical armamentarium, and all the private 
belongings of the party? 

It is easy to say that they prayed, and God an- 
swered. But it meant a good deal when God's answer 
came, when that very day of their arrival Mr. Taylor 
received a cordial invitation from an old friend and 
well-wisher, Mr. W. Gamble, an invitation and a 
welcome to the whole party, with storage room for 
all their belongings. 

How heartily, in their thanksgiving, they asked 
God to reward Mr. Gamble.* And how gladly they 
exchanged their narrow cabins for the ample space 
and generous hospitality of his warehouse and his 
home. 

Here at once they set about preparing for their 
further journey, for Hang-chau was to be the first 
headquarters of the Mission. Their baggage had to 

♦Missionary in charge of the American Presbyterian 
Mission Press. 



106 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

be opened and examined, after the last stage of the 
voyage, and their things divided and repacked, so that 
they might take with them as little as possible at first. 

A busy and a very cheerful scene that warehouse 
presented, scattered over with opened trunks and 
packing cases, and in one part a regular laundry, pre- 
sided over by the ladies, disposing of the washing of 
those four long months at sea. 

Then again, to procure Chinese clothing for so 
large a party was no small business, for they were all 
going to travel and to work in native dress, and many 
were the merry remarks that were passed as one after 
another donned the strange, loose and, to the unin- 
itiated, clumsy garb, and as the men, for the Master's 
sake, with uncomplaining fortitude, had their heads 
shaved a la Chinois. Passports also had to be ob- 
tained and names registered at the consulate, while 
delightful visits with older missionaries made a profit- 
able variation from the soberer duties of the day. 

Busy they were indeed, and full of hope, though 
faced with nothing but uncertainty, because of the 
gracious assurance in all their hearts, "He that sent 
me is with me." 

While all this was going on, Mr. Taylor, at the 
first available moment, left for a brief visit to Ning- 
po to see his old friends in the native church, whom 
he loved with all the strong affection of a "father 
in the Lord," and to confer with the seven mission- 
aries who up till now had been the entire staff of the 
Mission in China. There went with him Miss Bau- 



THE FIRST FOUR TEARS. 107 

sam, to join Dr. and Mrs. Lord, of the A. B. M. XL, 
and Miss Rose, who was shortly afterward married 
to Mr. Meadows,* the missionary in charge at Ning- 
po. Mr. Taylor's visit was most encouraging. Not 
only were the workers delighted to welcome him in 
China and to hear detailed news about the reinforce- 
ments, but the formal yet very affectionate saluta- 
tions of the little company of Chinese Christians 
were to him especially refreshing. In spite of a sea- 
son of severe testing through the T'ai-p'ing rebellion, 
which had devastated the city in '61 and '62, the 
little church had grown considerably, and Mr. Mead- 
ows was full of expectation for the future. Not only 
had the church at Mng-po grown and prospered but 
three new stations had been opened at important cen- 
ters within easy distance. 

Of these new stations the most important was 
Shao-hing, one of the most interesting cities in China. 
From its situation on many canals and its political 
prestige it has been aptly termed the Venice of 
China, and many of the most influential men in China 
are proud to be its citizens. For the post of private 
secretary to all the high officials, not only in every 
province but in every city of the empire, is invariably 
supplied by alumni of Shao-hing, who protect them- 
selves against competition by simply ignoring all let- 
ters, documents and despatches which come from 
other hands. By this simple yet drastic expedient all 
this important and remunerative work is kept in the 

♦Mr. Meadows' first wife had died in 1863. 



108 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

one fraternity. It is easy to see the strategic neces- 
sity for opening work in this city. Mr. and Mrs. 
Stevenson, who had arrived in China in February, 
1866, were already located here. 

On returning to Shanghai Mr. Taylor took with 
him two or three experienced native Christians, as 
teachers for the new arrivals. 

Meanwhile the preparations at Shanghai were 
nearly finished, and not many days after Mr. Taylor's 
return boats were hired for the journey to Hang- 
chau. On October 20th the whole party, after a very 
grateful farewell to Mr. Gamble, took possession of 
their Chinese houseboats. Before leaving the harbor 
they pulled alongside the good old "Lammermuir," 
now nearly ready for sea again, to say good-bye to 
the ship's company and Captain Bell. Here they 
were greatly touched by an unexpected proof of sym- 
pathy and affection, a gift of more than one hundred 
and twenty dollars for the work from the officers and 
crew, no names being given. It was the men's own 
proposal, a generous token of gratitude and love. 
None of the party will ever forget the kind words 
and hearty handshakes of the men, many of whom 
were in tears, nor the loud, long cheers that rang out 
from the rigging as the little procession of native 
houseboats started on its way. 

Hang-chau, for which they were destined, is one of 
the oldest as well as one of the most beautiful cities 
in China. Situated far up the estuary of the pictur- 
esque, limpid Ts'ien-t'ang, this capital of the Cheh- 






THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 109 

kiang province had been chosen to be the center of 
the Mission. Easy of access from Shanghai, with 
five hundred thousand inhabitants, and scarcelv a 
Christian among them, the metropolis of twenty mil- 
lion people, it was just the basis they needed for the 
work, a basis of operations from which, please God, 
should be opened gradually, first in this province and 
later in less accessible regions, many a center for the 
diffusion of the Light. 

Hang-chau moreover was already open. Great care 
would, of course, be needed, coming with so large 
a party, not to arouse the animosity of the educated 
classes, always averse to foreigners. Still there 
would be every prospect of a peaceable location for 
the present, until such time as progress with the 
language and acquaintance with the people should 
make it safe to scatter to other places needier still. 

For already three missionaries were stationed here, 
with their families. During the early sixties work 
had been interrupted for two or three years by the 
T'ai-p'ing rebels, who left the proud old city pitifully 
devastated. Now they were overthrown, through the 
gallant and godly "Chinese Gordon," and peace was 
reestablished. But the ruined city, reopened to the 
Gospel in '64 by the saintly and now venerable 
Bishop Moule, would be long ere it regained its 
former magnificence or lost the traces of the quasi- 
Christian, but more than semi-heathen, T'ai-p'ing 
warriors. 

From Shanghai it was only nine days' journey to 



110 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

the southwest, across a fertile and populous plain that 
probably at no very remote period formed a delta of 
the Yang-tse. Nine days' journey, that is if they 
wished and were able to travel steadily at an average 
of twenty miles a day, which, as things go in China, 
is speedy progress. But this they did not wish. 

While Hang-chau was their main objective, they 
hoped it might prove possible to station some of the 
party in one or more of the many cities dotted over 
the plain they crossed, in none of which at that time 
were missionaries settled. 

During this journey they became initiated into 
some of the mysteries of Chinese life. Already 
dressed in Chinese costume they now made their first 
acquaintance with chopsticks, and a very amusing 
introduction it was. Before long, however, they 
found themselves making good progress with these 
strange substitutes for knife and fork. 

Their surroundings, moreover, were now strictly 
Chinese, and so was their rate of travel. Some days 
they did not make any progress at all. The wind, per- 
haps, was contrary. Other days, when the wind was 
all right, the boatmen had business and needed to 
delay. Then, perhaps, the missionaries wished to 
stop at Kia-hing or some other important city, but 
the boatmen were impatient, and were with difficulty 
persuaded to wait while Mr. Taylor hunted for a 
house. 

After the novelty wore off they discovered that the 
boats were crowded — close quarters for a protracted 



It 



THE FIRST FOUR YEAE8. Ill 

journey, such as this was proving. The daily routine 
of delays and inconveniences was not entirely miti- 
gated by the many employments that kept them oc- 
cupied; study of the language, conference and 
prayer, and occasional talks from Mr. and Mrs. 
Taylor as to the ways and the customs of the people. 
In addition to their slow progress, before they reached 
Hang-chau the weather was becoming cold, and for 
the children and the less robust adults, especially on 
damp and rainy days, the draughty boats were scarce- 
ly safe. The boatmen, too, were growing eager to re- 
turn home for the winter, and the native servants, 
less able than the missionaries to put up with hard- 
ship, began to talk of leaving. 

Glad indeed they were when at last in the distance 
they sighted the great city of Hang-chau. Here, 
however, another difficulty awaited them. Repeated 
efforts at renting premises, by the way, had all 
proved unsuccessful. Seeing that a home for the 
winter was essential, at any rate for some of the 
party, very earnest prayers went up to God that He 
would prosper His servants in this matter. And so, 
at last, they arrived at the suburbs of Hang-chau. 
Here a series of locks barred the way, and the boats 
that had been their home for five weeks could go no 
further. Leaving his large party unobserved outside 
the city Mr. Taylor went on ahead, with prayer in his 
heart and on his lips, to see what could be done to 
secure accommodation. 

Calling first on one of the missionaries, he found a 



112 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

surprise awaiting him. The Eev. Mr. Kreyer was 
away at Shanghai to be married, and had left a 
message that if Mr. Taylor's large party arrived be- 
fore his return he hoped they would make use of his 
house, while seeking a home of their own. It was 
still five or six days before Mr. and Mrs. Kreyer were 
expected, and with a heart full of thankfulness to 
God and to His servant Mr. Taylor returned to the 
expectant party on the boats. 

Next day, Friday, November 28th, the sixteen 
adults and four children, with their native com- 
panions, were transferred to smaller boats in which 
they entered the city unobserved, and made their 
way to within a block or two of Mr. Kreyer's home, 
at the foot of the beautiful City Hill. As gloaming 
deepened into dusk the boats came to a standstill. 
The few business houses they had passed were al- 
ready closed, and the large party filed quietly along 
one or two silent streets to their temporary quarters, 
which they reached without attracting attention. 

It was not long before they were all comfortably 
settled in, and the queer bundles of native bedding 
unrolled — the men in one part of the house and the 
women in another, and greatly they enjoyed the re- 
lief of more convenient and roomy quarters. Here 
all joined again in thanksgiving to Grod for this 
gracious provision and asked with renewed con- 
fidence that He would speedily provide a more 
permanent home, for their kind host would be re- 
turning the following Wednesday with his bride. 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 113 

On Saturday morning, after further waiting on 
God, Mr. Taylor went out with a native helper to see 
what could be done towards obtaining a house, and 
his spirits rose almost to bubbling over when he found 
that the first place they were taken to see was exactly 
what was needed. It may be that the substantial, 
comfortable landlord, or the keen, shrewd middleman 
read something of this in Mr. Taylor's face. Whether 
that were so or not, the price demanded was ex- 
orbitant. With courteous adieux Mr. Taylor and the 
Chinese teacher bowed themselves away, saying 
that they were sorry to have troubled the owner, but 
the price was entirely beyond them. The rest of the 
day passed all too soon in fruitless searching. Sun- 
day came opportunely, not only giving time for 
spiritual refreshment, but also conveying the impres- 
sion to landlord and middleman that Mr. Taylor was 
not in any particular hurry, nor so eager as he 
seemed. On Monday they started again and still met 
with poor success. Neither Mr. Taylor nor his com- 
panion thought of returning to the first place they 
had seen, but now Mahomet came to the mountain, 
since the mountain did not come to Mahomet ! The 
landlord and middleman, fearing that they might lose 
their customer, sought out Mr. Taylor, and that put 
an entirely new face on affairs. Even so, it was no 
easy matter, and the whole of Tuesday was spent in 
leisurely and closely calculated bargaining. At last 
the landlord came to terms, a deed of rental was 
drawn up and the earnest money paid, to use the 



114 TttESE FORTY YEARg. 

Chinese idiom "the pen being dropped, the bargain 
was concluded." 

All now united in thanksgiving, as earnestly as 
they had prayed before. Preparations were complete 
by Tuesday evening. Early on Wednesday morning, 
the day the Kreyers were to return, long before the 
city was awake, they moved over to the new premises 
on the Sin-k'ai Lung, and gratefully took possession 
of their first Chinese home. The great city went on as 
usual, little imagining how large a party of foreigners 
had taken up residence among them. 

At once, without delaying a day to put the house 
in order, steady work was commenced on the 
language. The "quiet hour" was carefully observed, 
of private prayer and meditation, and daily all joined 
in talking over some portion of the Word, and in glad, 
thankful waiting upon God for guidance as to the 
present and future of the work. 

The premises, naturally, were in the ordinary con- 
dition of unoccupied houses. Not only was there 
need of cleaning, but also of repairs. As soon as they 
were in full swing of work, but not before, these 
household duties occupied their leisure, and it was not 
long before the whole place began to bear a de- 
cidedly more Christian aspect. The men had a stair- 
case to themselves and a quarter of the house ex- 
clusively their own, which would commend itself to 
any visitors who might have the courage to pay a call. 
A chapel was fitted up, and places found for the 
printing press and the few medical and surgical sup- 



THE FIRST FOUR TEARS. 115 

plies that Mr. Taylor had brought on from Shanghai. 
A guest hall for men and another for women were 
also furnished, that no one might call without being 
hospitably entertained. 

It was not long before some of the new mission- 
aries had made sufficient progress with the language 
to be understood, for the four months of the outward 
journey, the stay in Shanghai and the long boat trip 
had all been utilized in study. For some weeks 
several native families remained in the roomy house, 
while they sought, leisurely in point of fact, for other 
quarters. With these near neighbors, of course, they 
were careful to cultivate acquaintance, and Miss 
Faulding soon persuaded them to take her visiting at 
the home of their relations. Indeed, before long, one 
of these interested women openly confessed faith in 
Jesus Christ, and became a valuable coadjutor in the 
women's work. Thus, in at least one convert and in 
not a few friends and acquaintances, their patience 
with their fellow-lodgers blossomed and bore fruit. 

Missionary work had begun. With much real, 
hearty effort the time passed rapidly. And day by 
day Mrs. Taylor's motherly concern for her large 
household, her uninterrupted walk with God, and her 
wisdom and good judgment endeared her, increas- 
ingly, to all. 

Christmas soon came, and was kept with rejoicing 
and thanksgiving. Xew Year's eve — as it had been 
at home a year before, so now in the heart of a 
heathen city — was spent in prayer and fasting. Look- 



116 THESE FORTY YEABS. 

ing back they acknowledged with great thankfulness 
God's good hand in many matters; and looking for- 
ward, they waited very earnestly on Him to prosper 
each step of the establishment of the Mission on the 
field. 

"?T 7P w 7V" * w Tt" 

Very abundantly were the prayers with which the 
old year closed, answered, in 1867. January had 
not passed before they had the joy of opening another 
station at the neighboring city of Siao-shan. At 
first, though a promising opening was found in this 
city, they were unable to go forward on account of 
shortness of funds, so, of course, they applied to God 
for the money. 

This came in a remarkable and most unexpected 
way. Among their visitors at the new home in 
Hang-chau had been a more than usually intelligent 
Chinaman, who told them he came from Singapore. 
There, of course, he had been accustomed to foreign- 
ers, but not to such foreigners — dressed in purely 
native costume, living and eating and acting with all 
the refinement and courtesy of Chinamen. He did 
not know what to make of it. After one or two 
cordial visits he came no more. The reason of this 
proved to be he had returned to Shanghai. There he 
told a friend, a foreigner, of the missionaries at 
Hang-chau, to whom he had been so greatly drawn. 
His friend was interested and tried to find a rep- 
resentative of the China Inland Mission in Shanghai. 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 117 

Failing in this, he handed a donation of sixty odd dol- 
lars to an acquaintance of Mr. Gamble's, through 
whom it was now forwarded to Mr. Taylor. With it 
came a message to cheer the hearts of the workers, 
to the effect that he did not know how sufficiently to 
admire their devotion and self-renunciation. "He 
could not imitate it, but he could appreciate it." 
Happy to tell, this Singapore Chinaman was savingly 
converted about this time in the home of the hospit- 
able Mr. Gamble himself. 

Thus the Lord met the need at Siao-shan, and the 
premises in question were rented; three of the new 
missionaries taking up residence at once. Before the 
end of the year at this new station — a year of many 
vicissitudes, and indeed serious trouble for a time — 
three or four converts filled their hearts with thanks- 
giving. 

It need hardly be said that with all the responsi- 
bilities of six stations, most of them newly opened, 
and of seven older missionaries besides his own party, 
Mr. Taylor was very fully occupied, and sometimes 
he was confronted with questions of no little gravity. 
In all these matters, however, he shared his burdens 
with the ever-present Friend, Who cares and under- 
stands. 

On a visit to the older stations Mr. Taylor found 
much cause for praise. At Mng-po there were al- 
ready sixty-four in membership, and others waiting 
to be received. At Shao-hing also, Mr. and Mrs. 
Stevenson were making good progress and were 






118 THESE FORTY YEABS. 

greatly encouraged in the work. Yes, there was 
plenty to thank God for, both now and in the out- 
look. 

Among the early visitors at Shao-hing was one who 
especially interested Mr. Stevenson. Mr. Ning was a 
scholarly man of good family; he did not wish to 
have anything to do with the foreigners' religion, but 
there were things in their scientific booklets which 
did interest him greatly and he called to gain further 
information. This Mr. Stevenson gladly gave, and 
then sought to lead the conversation into another 
channel. 

"Have you among your foreign books one called 
the [New Testament ?" he asked. 

"Yes," said Mr. Mng, "I have. But I must con- 
fess it does not interest me. It has no logical be- 
ginning, no consecutive argument running through 
it, nor any peroration at the close. I can make noth- 
ing of it." 

"Well," Mr. Stevenson replied, "I am not sur- 
prised at that. Do you know if you could understand 
that book it would not be worth the paper it is 
printed on." 

"I do not exactly understand you," said Mr. Ning 
with courtesy, for he was nothing if not a scholar, 
and being often reminded of his attainments by his 
friends he knew how to value his literary reputation. 

Mr. Stevenson explained, "That book is the book 
of the Living God. Coming from Him its teachings 
are deeper than any man can comprehend unaided. 



THE FIRST FOUR YEAES. 119 

But if you pray to God for His Spirit to enable you 
to understand, you will find it a new book and one of 
absorbing interest and profit.'' 

"Well/' said Mr. Mng, "if that is not the strangest 
thing I ever heard ! Do you expect me to believe the 
Heavenly Grandfather has leisure to attend to the 
prayers of a common man like me ? Why, I could not 
get an audience with the Governor of the province, 
however much I tried, not to mention the Emperor. 
How much less with the Supreme Ruler of the 
Universe !" 

Mr. Stevenson smiled. "I see you are good at 
arguing, my friend; but arguing does not alter facts. 
You notice the kettle on the fire ? One might argue 
that fire and water are opposing elements ; that, more- 
over, they are separated by the iron of the kettle. 
How can the fire and water mingle ? But while the 
argument goes forward the lid begins to lift and puffs 
of steam to issue from the spout. Before the argu- 
ment is concluded the water is boiling, and I am 
ready to make you a cup of tea." 

"You also are good at argument !" replied Mr. 
Mng, amused. 

"Try it, my friend. Ask God this evening to give 
you His Spirit that you may be able to understand 
His Book, of which you can make nothing." 

Again Mr. Mng smiled. "That you must tell to 
the ignorant, sir, if you wish to be believed. It is 
no use trying to teach such doctrines to educated 
men." And then, with many an expression of 






120 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

gratitude for the information given and for the 
courtesy extended, Mr. Ning took his leave. 

During supper he mused, as he looked across at his 
treasured books. "That was a strange notion of the 
foreigner's ! How can he possibly think an educated 
man would accept a theory like that ? I will not give 
the matter another thought." But when he had 
finished his supper an irresistible longing came over 
him just to glance at the Book. Mr. Stevenson was 
praying. 

"I will just look at it," he thought, and taking the 
New Testament down he opened it, with the words 
"Oh God, if there be a God, enlighten my mind by 
Thy Spirit, that I may be able to understand this 
book." And he began to read. And he continued to 
read. The hours flew until it was nearly midnight. 
His wife wondered that he did not come to rest. 

"I have something important on hand just now," 
he said. "Do not wait for me. I will come later." 
And he read on till the small hours of the morning. 

Next evening, the day's duties over, he again took 
down the once despised New Testament and became 
absorbed in its wonderful story. Again he read half 
the night. And before long the proud Conf ucianist 
was a confessed believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

"Wife," he said one morning — he had been want- 
ing to speak for days but had lacked the courage, for 
she belonged to a haughty and aristocratic family — 
"Wife, I have something I should like to say to you 
this evening, when the children are in bed." He put 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 121 

off the difficult moment as long as he could, and when 
the time arrived his wife had to come to the rescue, as 
a woman often does. 

"Didn't you want to speak to me this evening ?" 

"Why, yes," he said, "come into my study." And 
there they sat, he on the left side, and she sat on the 
right, the lower, as in wifely duty bound. 

"Well," she asked, again coming to his help, "what 
is it that you want to say to me ?" 

"It is this," he replied, with a good deal of inward 
trepidation, "do you know I have discovered that 
there is a true God after all." 

"Have you ?" she said. "Why that is good news ! 
You remember the time when those terrible T'ai- 
p ? ing rebels captured our city and broke into our 
home ? I was alone, and hid in the wardrobe and 
tried to pray; but who should I pray to? The T'ai- 
p'ings were stronger than the gods, for they de- 
stroyed them everywhere. So I prayed to the 
Heavenly Grandfather that He would take pity on 
me, a poor defenceless woman, and not let me fall 
into the hands of those ruthless ruffians. With noisy 
steps they went through the house. They rushed 
into the room. They went all over, opening boxes and 
searching in every corner, and then suddenly went 
off without touching the wardrobe. I have often 
wondered whether after all there is not a Living God, 
who heard my prayer and pitied me. Do tell me all 
about it." 

Before long Mrs. Mng was as earnest a believer 



122 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

as her husband. Having won his wife, Mr. ISTing 
went on to his neighbors, and the more he spoke of 
his new found Friend the fuller of gladness and bless- 
ing his heart became. Until one day, speaking on the 
street with a neighbor, a little knot of interested 
strangers stood to listen, and before he knew it Mr. 
Ning was holding his first open-air meeting ! In this 
he enjoyed great liberty, and realized that he was 
getting an unexpected opportunity of serving his new 
Lord and Master. 

The fact that Mr. Mng, the talented B.A., was 
actually preaching the "foreign devils' religion" on 
the street became a public scandal. The chief 
magistrate of the city called informally to re- 
monstrate with the scholar, and after a short pre- 
liminary conversation, said, "If you must believe this 
foreign faith, why do so, but do not bring disgrace 
upon your name by forgetting yourself in this 
fashion ! Whatever is it that makes you tell every- 
body you meet about these things ?" 

"The fact is," Mr. Ning replied, "I am so full of 
the good news that I cannot keep it in ! I must tell 
what the Lord Jesus has done for me ; what gladness 
He has put into my life, and how He has washed 
away my sins and given me hope of endless happiness 
in Heaven." And from that beginning he preached 
Jesus Christ to the magistrate, who was glad at the 
earliest possible moment to beat a dignified retreat ! 

Meeting next day the chancellor of the university, 
the magistrate drew his attention to the extra- 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 123 

ordinary behavior of his "disciple." U T will call upon 
him," the proud chancellor replied, with confidence, 
"and persuade him of his folly. The very idea of a 
follower of Confucius falling in with these new- 
fangled notions of the foreign immigrants!" Before 
long he also had heard the Gospel story. 

Needless to say that the work went forward and 
grew under Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson's care with such 
earnest and able fellow-workers as Mr. and Mrs. 
Mng. 

All being now in working order at Hang-chau Mr. 
Taylor, on his return, opened a dispensary, which 
rapidly became very popular among the poorer 
people, and frequently attracted well-to-do members 
of the community who heard of wonderful cures per- 
formed. This medical work was the means of dis- 
arming prejudice and gaining sympathy and con- 
fidence. Its chief end, of course, was spiritual, and 
that was attained in no small degree. The aver- 
age daily attendance at this dispensary was two 
hundred, which meant, of course, an immense 
amount of work for Mr. Taylor and his native 
assistants. 

One afternoon in this month of February, 1867, 
while Mr. Taylor was engaged in a preliminary 
service for the patients, imagine his delight and sur- 
prise to see walk right into the waiting-room strangers 
from England, reinforcements for the work. Mr. 
and Mrs. McCarthy and their children, and Miss 
McLean had just arrived from Shanghai. Mr. 



124 THESE FORTY YEAES. 

Taylor rejoiced to see them, as they saw by a glance 
at his face, but there was a room full of patients who 
must be seen that afternoon, especially as next 
day was Sunday, when none but urgent cases could 
be seen. Glad indeed were the new arrivals to see 
such signs of progress, and very heartily they wrote 
home of their unceremonious welcome and of the 
"large number of benighted heathen listening at- 
tentively to the story of the Cross ; of the wonderful 
smile on the face of some poor creature conscious of 
sight being gradually restored, or the gladness of 
the palsied man as he felt his limbs regaining 
strength." 

Before many moments Mr. McCarthy was busily 
engaged in mixing medicines and helping in various 
ways. How glad they were to see the work so 
prosperous, l^ext day, Sunday, the chapel was 
crowded. "Mr. Taylor, mounted on a chair in order 
to be better heard, explained the nature of our meet- 
ing and of our worship — that there is no visible form 
to bow to, no incense, no silver paper, no candles, but 
the great invisible God Himself is present, noticing 
all we do and say and think. 

"Then after singing a hymn and engaging in 
prayer, when all the people rose as requested and 
stood very still, a portion of the Gospel story was 
chosen, which Mr. Taylor explained and illustrated, 
bringing each point home to them" 

The following Sunday also "the chapel was 
crowded both morning and evening, and the people 









THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 125 

were not only quiet and attentive but apparently very 
interested. 77 

As the months went on there soon arose the 
"happy necessity of holding a meeting 77 for inquirers, 
and ere long the first six converts were received into 
the church amid general rejoicing. 

Shortly after this the first serious blow fell on the 
Mission. A devoted and greatly beloved brother, Mr. 
Sell, was called Home from Emg-po. He had been 
much used of God on the "Lammermuir 77 in winning 
souls, and great hopes were entertained for his use- 
fulness in China. 

In addition to the daily sewing meeting held by 
Mrs. Taylor, regular house-to-house visitation was 
carried on by the ladies. "In many houses, in every 
direction, 77 wrote Mr. Taylor, "our sisters have free 
access to the women. * * * In its actual influ- 
ence upon the people at large I am strongly inclined 
to consider this the most powerful agency we have. 77 

"It is such a joy to be so welcome, 77 wrote Miss 
Paulding. "I have only to go out and pass along the 
street and houses are open to me. Truly God is giv- 
ing this people an ear to hear. 77 

The adoption of native dress was found a real help 
in gaining access to the people, as many of the home 
letters testify. Only one brief extract from Mrs. 
Taylor 7 s pen need be quoted: "Notwithstanding 
much that is said to the contrary, I am satisfied that 
our Chinese dress gives us a decided advantage. It 
brings us nearer to the people, whom above all things 



126 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

we desire to reach, not to hold at a distance. Before 
leaving England I had some misgivings about ladies 
wearing the Chinese dress, on this ground, that the 
Chinese despise their own women while they respect 
foreigners. Would they treat us with the same defer- 
ence, and should we have as much weight with them 
were we to change our dress. I have found no reason 
for retaining this misgiving. On the contrary, I am 
satisfied that force of character, education and 
Christian principle give us an influence with, the 
natives of both sexes which neither wearing our own 
dress could impart, nor adopting the Chinese could 
take away. For myself I have been treated with 
quite as much respect in the latter as in the former." 
"No mightier power/' Mr. Taylor wrote, "has 
been entrusted to us than that of the true sympathy 
which identifies itself with those whom it seeks to 
benefit and carries captive the heart. And to get 
close access to the hearts of the people is our great 
aim; to win their confidence and love our daily ob- 
ject. To effect this we seek, as far as possible, to 
meet them in costume, in language, in manners. And 
to us this course is not only advantageous, it is indis- 
pensable. No lady in foreign dress could visit here 
as our sisters do in the native costume. And, more- 
over, we conceive that in this we are following the 
example of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, who 
became all things to all men that he might gain the 
more. And further, that we are treading in the foot- 
steps of Him Who to save men became a man; Who 



THE FIRST FOUR TEARS. 127 

to minister especially to the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel was made one under the law — made one in all 
points not sinful, with the objects of His ministry." 
Now came the anniversary of the sailing of the 
"Lammermuir" from England, the first birthday of 
the little Mission. In a brief letter to Mr. Berger, 
Mr. Hudson Taylor writes of the first year of service : 
"Burdens such as I have never before sustained, re- 
sponsibilities such as I have not heretofore incurred 
and sorrows compared with which past sorrows have 
been light, have entered into my experience during 
this year. But I trust that I have learned, in some 
measure, the blessed truth : 

" 'Sufficient is His arm alone, 
And our defense is sure.' 

"I have long felt that our Mission has a baptism to 
be baptized with. It may not yet be past. It may be 
heavier than we can foresee. But if by His grace we 
are kept faithful, in the end all will be well. May 
the Lord sustain and strengthen you, dear brother, in 
your department of this service; such is our daily 
prayer." 

Toward the latter part of the following month of 
June Mr. Taylor started on an evangelistic tour with 
the double purpose of preaching the Gospel and of 
locating, if posible, Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Duncan 
at two principal cities up the lovely, rapid Ts'ien- 
t'ang river. Scores of thousands of miles have been 
traveled since bv the members of the China Inland 



128 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Mission on similar preaching journeys, but this was 
the first. Mr. Tsiu, a native evangelist of spirit aud 
devotion, went with them, and two Christian 
servants. They embarked in the afternoon of a long, 
hot summer day. "Our fellow passengers we found 
some lying and some siting about, others eating or 
smoking, and almost all chatting, the foreigners in 
their dress forming the staple subject of conversa- 
tion." As soon as they had weighed anchor they took 
their "supper in truly primitive style, and commended 
ourselves to the care of our Heavenly Father, and 
then settled down for the night, enjoying the beauti- 
ful moonlight and the cool, favorable breeze — and 
no mosquitoes !" 

"Toward morning we awaked to find that the wind 
had fallen and live or six of the boatmen were towing 
with long ropes. Having refreshed ourselves with 
the usual Chinese wash in hot water, * * ' * we 
had morning prayers together, the music of the well- 
known hymn 'There is a Happy Land' resounding 
through the boat and attracting the attention of the 
passengers. Mr. Taylor having asked the Lord's 
blessing, selected a portion of Scripture and took the 
opportunity of preaching the Gospel, many of those 
present listening attentively and evidently under- 
standing what was said." 

After two days of travel in this and another boat 
they were delayed at Dong-li, in the midst of mag- 
nificent scenery, for several days, till the flooded river 
should be less turbulent. Of course they availed 



THE FIBST FOUR YEAES. 129 

themselves of the delay to preach the Gospel in the 
tea shops of the city. And many an attentive audi- 
ence they gained. 

Now continuing their journey up the beautiful 
Chih-li gorge, they seized each opportunity of deliv- 
ering their message in towns and villages, in some of 
which they were treated with much courtesy. 

At one place it was necessary to replenish their 
stock of provisions. A strange procession they made 
on their return. "First came Mr. Duncan, his shaven 
crown protected by a white straw hat of considerable 
dimensions, covering head and shoulders as well; in 
one hand a palm leaf fan and in the other a live cock 
which he had secured for dinner. Next came Mr. 
Taylor with other purchases under his arms, and in 
the same headgear; followed by myself, with a 
thousand cash, change of a dollar, slung around my 
neck. Our gowns had once been white, but alas, a 
week's wear and traveling had changed their color 
considerably. We were glad to get back to the boat, 
and were soon refreshed by hot tea and bathing our 
faces in hot water." 

At the prefectural city or "Fu" of Yen-chau a 
place was rented, and Mr. McCarthy remained with 
a native helper. Mr. Taylor and Mr. Duncan con- 
tinued their journey up river as far as Lan-k'i, an im- 
portant and prosperous commercial center, but 
notoriously wicked. As they tracked up the stream 
Mr. Taylor wrote home of their experiences, and 
added : 

9 



130 THESE FOETY YEABS. 

"I trust that during this year we shall be able to 
commence several new stations. Mr. Meadows is 
going with Mr. Jackson into another of the unoccu- 
pied Fu cities of this province, after which I hope to 
go with him into the adjoining province to see how 
the land lies. It is now the twenty-third day since 
we left Hang-chau and nearly ten days since we had 
any tidings. Absence from so large a family, old and 
young, at this time of year, and with whooping- 
cough in the house, casts one much on the Lord, but 
this, after all, is a position of both peace and safety." 

At Lan-k'i, always full of visitors on business, house 
accommodation was hard to find. But a Mng-po man, 
residing in the town, delighted at hearing his own 
dialect spoken fluently by a foreigner, helped them. 
And of the lodging thus obtained Mr. Taylor wrote 
next day, as he journeyed down the river : "I left Mr. 
Duncan in what we consider comfortable lodgings for 
a traveler — that is to say, there is a roof over his 
head, more or less leaky of course, but still a roof; a 
floor under his feet, and not a floor only, but rich ac- 
cumulations of dirt in addition, which might only be 
partially removed by continued exertions. There is 
also a window-shutter at one side of the house, if no 
window; and being so well supplied in this respect it 
would be very uncalled-for censure were we to com- 
plain of the absence of both door and window at the 
other end of the room; the more so that in the event 
of rain beating in beyond endurance it is easy to nail 
up a few pieces of matting, which lie folded together 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 131 

awaiting such an emergency. The room labors under 
the slight disadvantage of lacking a chimney, as our 
poor eyes well know when the worthy old cook pre- 
pares our meals. In this respect, however, it is only 
like every other room of the kind in this place, and 
I may add in all other places here. As to its 
furniture, it contained five bedsteads for Mr. Dun- 
can and myself, Mr. Tsiu and our two servants. (We 
have two with us because when separated we each 
need one.) These bedsteads are made of two bamboo 
trestles — value, three-pence the pair — and unplaned 
deal planks or a bamboo frame resting upon them. 
On these, being inclined to make them as comfort- 
able as possible, we placed our railway-rugs for soft- 
ness, covering them with mats for coolness' sake. 
This, with a pillow and mosquito curtains, completes 
our bedding. Besides these articles for the night we 
boast a table, a stool, and a plank supported by two 
trestles instead of a form. And I must not forget to 
mention that, not satisfied with the above supply of 
furniture, Mr. Duncan has gone to the lavish ex- 
penditure of six-pence, and purchased himself a chair. 
I think I have now enumerated most of the contents 
of the room — the stove is carried in and out as oc- 
casion requires—and yet I fear that you will be able 
to form but a poor idea of our position after all. The 
Lord has prospered us in enabling us to get a native 
teacher, and Mr. Duncan is hard at work with him. 
It is his intention to go out each afternoon to the 
temples and tea shops to sell portions of Scripture 



132 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

and tracts and to talk to the people," which required 
not a little courage after so few months in the 
country; but courage was a virtue which Duncan did 
not lack ! 

Traveling down the Ts'ien-t'ang by passenger boat 
Mr. Taylor had many opportunities by the way, and 
one evening preached to his neighbors till he was 
tired. "After a short prayer, I concluded; but no 
one moved away. They seemed to want to hear 
more of this new story. I commenced again, and 
after talking for a long while, again ceased. Still no 
one moved. A few leading questions were asked, and 
once more I spoke to them at length." 

At Hang-chau it was encouraging to find the work 
progressing steadily, and the native Christians show- 
ing an increasing desire to spread the Gospel them- 
selves. Already the little church numbered eighteen 
members, besides fourteen applicants for baptism. 
Wang, the young man who had accompanied Mr. 
Taylor to England, was now ordained as pastor, and 
three deacons were appointed at the same time. To 
that church, which continued to grow steadily, if 
slowly at times (until, when the writer was there 
eight years ago, there were more than two hundred 
members), Mr. Wang ministered with great accept- 
ance and blessing until his last illness, only a year or 
two ago. He was not only an earnest and inde- 
fatigable worker, but a truly consecrated man. He 
did not accept a salary, but lived like his colleagues, 
the missionaries, in simple dependence upon God. 



THE FIRST FOUR TEARS. 133 

That Ms needs were amply met — largely apart from 
the Mission— ^is evidenced by the following little in- 
cident: About the year 1894 Mr. Wang came up to 
Shanghai for conference with Mr. Taylor about a 
matter that had long been on his heart. Living al- 
ways with scrupulous economy, which is a great 
recommendation of the Gospel among a poverty- 
stricken people like the Chinese, Mr. Wang had been 
able to save, during twenty-seven years, a sum of a 
thousand Mexican dollars. His son-in-law, Mr. Ken, 
who had been for years co-pastor to the Hang-chau 
Church, had a considerable family, and Mr. Wang 
had asked him to accept this money and use it to com- 
plete the education of his children. 

i( 'No" said Ren, "the Lord has always amply sup- 
plied our needs. I had far rather this money should 
be used in a way that I know will give you still 
greater pleasure, in opening up to the Gospel fresh 
parts of our needy country.' ' So Mr. Wang had 
brought the thousand dollars to Mr. Taylor, and 
closeted alone with him handed it over. We can im- 
agine the feelings with which Mr. Taylor accepted 
this generous donation ! 

But the great heat of that first summer told on the 
health of some of the band of workers. In the height 
of the summer Mr. and Mrs. Taylor took a little 
party for a few days' rest among the mountains, in a 
temple where they rented rooms. They reached 
their destination too late on Saturday night to go 
ashore, and therefore spent Sunday on their boats. 



134 THESE FORTY TEABS. 

In the cool of the evening they went for a walk, and 
"on the way my eldest child, only eight years old, saw 
for the first time a man making an idol. The sight 
grieved her to the heart. She looked into my face 
and said, 'Oh, papa, that man does not know Jesus. 
He would never make an ngly idol if he did! Do 
tell him about Jesus.' I had not so much faith, as to 
the result of the message, as my dear child, but I 
stopped and told the man the story of God's great 
love. Then we went on. After we had gone a little 
way we sat down under the trees, and I said to my 
dear child, seeing that her heart was burdened, 'What 
shall we sing, Gracie, dear V She said, 'Let us have 
"Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me." ' We sang a hymn 
and then I said to her, 'Will you pray first V She did 
so, and I never heard such a prayer as she offered. 
She had seen the man making an idol. Her heart 
was full, and she prayed to God on his behalf. The 
dear child went on and on, pleading that God would 
have mercy on the poor Chinese, and would 
strengthen her papa to preach to them. I was never 
so moved. My heart was bowed before God. Words 
fail me to describe it. 

"Next morning I was summoned to see a sick mis- 
sionary at a distance, and had to leave my loved ones. 
When I came back my dear child was ill and un- 
conscious, and she never recognized me again. Those 
prayers for the poor Chinese were almost the last 
words I heard her speak." 

Writing at this time, Mr. Taylor said : "It was no 



THE FIRST FOUR YEABS. 135 

vain nor unintelligent act when, knowing this land, 
its people and climate, I laid my precious wife and 
children, with myself, on the altar of consecration 
for this service. And He Whom we have been seek- 
ing to serve . . . has not left us now. 

"Beloved brother, the Lord has taken our sweet 
little Gracie to blossom in the purer atmosphere of 
His own presence. Our hearts bleed, but 

" 'Above the rest this note shall swell, 
Our Jesus doeth all things well.' " 

"When all was over," writes Miss Bowyer, "it was 
truly wonderful to see the calmness with which prep- 
a rations were made for returning to Hang-chau, and 
at midnight, three hours later, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, 
Miss Blatchley and Mr. Williamson started with their 
precious charge, no one suspecting what they carried. 

"We all followed next day." 

And so our Gracie obeyed the old, sweet invita- 
tion : "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and 
forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of 
Heaven." May God give us like childlike faith and 
like keen perception of the degradation of idolatry, 
and of the heathen's need of Jesus Christ. 

* ***** * 

About five days' journey due south from Ning-po, 
well up the estuary of another mountain stream, 
stands the handsome old city of T'ai-chau, center of 
the prefecture of that name. 

It was the height of summer when Mr. Meadows, 



136 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

senior member of the Mission (next to Mr. Tay- 
lor), and Mr. Jackson set out from Mng-po on 
the long-proposed attempt to open T'ai-chau to 
the Gospel. Many prayers had gone up for their 
success, and it was with hearts full of hope that the 
two missionaries started on their way. A day by 
boat brought them to Fung-hua, the second oldest 
station. Here they found Mr. and Mrs. Crombie 
working steadily in peace and safety. Four more 
days overland brought them, as the sun was setting, 
to their destination, which they found to be a large 
and well-built city, surrounded on almost every side 
by hills. Here, without any great difficulty, they 
succeeded in renting a house, in which Jackson re- 
mained with a native helper, entertaining day after 
day large numbers of curious and interested visitors. 
As usual, there was opposition at first, but prayer 
was answered, and soon all was quiet and peace- 
ful. Mr. Jackson, however, was very glad of a visit, 
a few weeks later, from Mr. Taylor, who found him 
living just like a Chinaman, and through his constant 
intercourse with the people, making rapid progress 
with the language. Not long after Mr. Taylor's re- 
turn, Mr. and Mrs. Cardwell came to join Mr. Jack- 
son at T'ai-chau, where he remained without further 
serious trouble until 1870, when he went south to 
Wen-chau, the next prefectural city, to help Mr. 
Stott in the rapidly-growing work at that center. 

Shortly after T'ai-chau was opened, George Dun- 
can, having returned from Lan-k'i, turned his face 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 137 

northward and visited the two capitals of Kiang-su, 
Su-chau and Nankin, at the latter of which he was, 
if possible, to settle. He was much impressed on this 
journey with the great cities he found without a wit- 
ness for the Master, and especially with Su-chau 
itself, famous all over the empire for its magnificence, 
and linked with Hang-chau by general consent as one 
of the most beautiful cities in the world. 

"Above is T'ien-t'ang (heaven), 
Below are Su Hang" (these two cities). 

His journey up the Grand Canal past this impor- 
tant city brought him in due course to Chin-kiang, 
now one of the best known cities on the Yang-tse, but 
at that time without a missionary. From here he 
turned westward up the Yang-tse, traveling still by 
native boat, until he reached Nankin, the old metrop- 
olis of the empire. 

For ten years Nankin had been the capital of the 
short-lived T'ai-p'ing dynasty, and Mr. Duncan found 
its immense area, averaging twelve miles across, 
largely in ruins, and a population at that time of 
not more than half a million. But already the in- 
domitable energy of its inhabitants was making itself 
felt. The city was rapidly regaining its former 
prestige and position. 

No missionary had ever been established here, and 
Mr. Duncan naturally expected difficulty in com- 
mencing work. To his surprise he was cordially 
welcomed by the officials, who, after a long and 



138 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

friendly interview, invited him to stay to dinner, 
which for courtesy's sake he thought it wise to ac- 
cept. Later on he discovered that while he was being 
so hospitably entertained messengers were going 
around to every inn in the city, promising the land- 
lords all sorts of punishment if they dared receive 
the foreign devil. But many prayers were going up, 
and about sundown he found himself at the old 
"drum-tower, " the ancient fire-alarm of the city. 
This was not a regular hostelry, and had been over- 
looked by the hospitable mandarins. 

The old priest was friendly and for a consideration 
willingly permitted the tall, fair stranger to remain 
in one of the upper rooms, on condition that he left 
at sunrise and did not return until after sundown. 
As it was mid-autumn this was no great trial to a 
man of Duncan's physique and force of character. 
The days he spent where he could, preaching the 
Gospel and selling tracts, or engaging in conversa- 
tion with all who would listen, getting his meals in 
the tea shops and restaurants of the city. 

After awhile, finding Duncan a harmless sort of 
man, the authorities ceased to pay him much atten- 
tion, and he succeeded, before winter had com- 
menced, in renting half of a small dwelling house. 
The entire premises consisted of one room with an 
attic over it, each being about twenty feet by twelve. 
The house was divided, fairly, into two strips twenty 
feet by six. The upper half room was Mr. Duncan's 
bedroom, and the lower was chapel and guest-hall. 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 139 

Against each wall a long form was ranged, and at 
the far end of the room a table and a chair for the 
preacher completed the furnishings downstairs. Be- 
ing separated from his landlord's family by so light 
a partition, and the lady of the house being a woman 
of spirit and considerable vigor of speech, Mr. Dun- 
can had ample opportunities of hearing the vernac- 
ular, including many expressions in which he was suf- 
ficiently initiated not to use in preaching. Here on 
rainy days he preached the Gospel to all who could 
crowd into the guest-room, and when the weather 
was fine the tea shops, the temples and the vacant 
spaces of the city were his favorite resorts. Some 
would come to hear the Gospel ; to others the Gospel 
must be taken. 

Thus, rapidly, the weeks passed, and the exchequer 
began to run low. Mr. Taylor made repeated at- 
tempts to send money, and Mr. Duncan at Nankin 
tried to find out some method by which it could be 
transmitted, but all without avail. Mr. Taylor be- 
came seriously concerned, lest Brother Duncan 
should really be in need. He knew his heroic build, 
physical and mental, and was certain that he would 
not leave the city if by any possible means he could 
continue to hold out. Many a time Mr. Taylor would 
rise in the night, unable to sleep, and very remark- 
ably the Lord heard and answered prayer. Trained 
from childhood in economy, the Scotchman made the 
money go as far as ever it would, but one day his 
cook said: 



140 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

"Teacher, we have had our breakfast, but there is 
nothing for supper and all the money is gone. What 
shall we do?" 

Mr. Duncan smiled at the man's eagerness and 
said: "My good fellow, I will tell you what we shall 
do. We will trust in the Lord and do good : so shall 
we dwell in the land, and verily we shall be fed." 
And he turned to go, tracts and Scriptures in hand, 
for his day's work in the city. But just as he was 
leaving, the cook added: 

"I have something I want to say before you go. 
I have five dollars of my wages saved, and I want you 
to accept it for use in the work." 

George Duncan looked at him keenly. "You know 
I may not accept a loan. If this is merely that under 
another name, I must decline it; but if you wish to 
give it to God, from God your reward will surely 
come, but not from me. Even if I receive a remit- 
tance to-morrow, I shall not return your money." 

"No," said the man, "I understand that, but I, too, 
believe in the Lord Jesus, and I want to have a share 
in this good work for Him. Do accept it." 

So the need was met for the time, and very care- 
fully that five dollars was expended. A morning 
came, however, when the cook came again with the 
question: "What shall we do? Now my wages 
are gone, and neither of us have anything left at 
all!" 

"What shall we do?" Mr. Duncan replied. "We 
shall obey God's command to trust in the Lord and 



THE FIRST FOUR YEABS. 141 

do good; so shall we dwell in the land, and verily we 
shall be fed." And again he went about the King's 
business with a heart at rest. 

A few days before this Mr. Rudland returned to 
Hang-chau for conference with Mr. Taylor about fur- 
ther extension of the work. Mr. Taylor listened to 
all he had to say and then replied: 

"These things can wait. George Duncan, I am 
afraid, must be entirely without supplies at Nankin, 
and every effort that we have made to send him 
money has been fruitless. Will you go and take 
him a roll of dollars?" 

"Why, certainly, with pleasure," Mr. Rudland re- 
plied. And they knelt down together to ask God's 
blessing on the journey, which, under ordinary cir- 
cumstances, takes ten days or a fortnight. A Nankin 
boatman was found, reasonable terms were arrived at 
after the inevitable bargaining, and with great satis- 
faction Mr. Taylor saw his friend start with a fair 
wind. The wind continued so favorable that the 
boatmen said, with surprise : "Your God must surely 
be the God of the winds, for whichever way the 
Grand Canal turns, the wind is still with us." A good 
text for Rudland! 

In a surprisingly short time Su-chau was reached 
and left behind, but half way between there and 
Chin-kiang they came to an unexpected standstill. 
The banks were burst, and the canal was dry. 

"What shall we do?" said Mr. Rudland to the boat- 
man. 



142 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

"What shall we do?" replied the captain, "why, 
wait till they repair the canal." 

"And when will that be?" 

"Who knows?" said the boatman. "Perhaps a 
month, or perhaps three. Whenever the mandarins 
have leisure." 

"This will never do," thought Mr. Rudland. "Is 
there no other way from here to Nankin?" 

"No, no other way," the man replied. 

But this did not satisfy the foreigner, and going 
into the city near which they were stranded he 
learned that there was no regular road, but one could 
go by footpaths between fields of rice, and by so* doing 
he could save two or three days on the journey. 

"Praise the Lord for the burst canal!" he thought. 
"Surely Brother Duncan must be getting very low, 
and the Lord is caring for him." 

He hired a donkey, and in two days' time was 
standing at Mr. Duncan's door. Great was the de- 
light of the cook on recognizing Mr. Budland. For 
once in his life his Chinese politeness forsook him, 
and the first words that escaped him were, "Have you 
brought any money?" 

"Yes," said Mr. Kudland, "here it is." 

"The visitor was, of course, made welcome, and 
before long the cook went marketing. When Mr. 
Duncan returned the evening meal was ready, and the 
cook stationed at the front door awaiting him. Far 
down the street he saw him, head and shoulders 
above the crowd, and he could wait no longer. Run- 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 143 

ning as hard as he could he was soon with Mr. Dun- 
can, and as soon as he regained his breath sufficiently, 
still panting, 

"It is all right, sir!" he said with a beaming face, 
"it is all right! The money has come, and supper is 
ready and waiting!" 

Putting his hand on the cook's shoulder, Mr. Dun- 
can replied: "Didn't I tell you so? It is always all 
right to trust in the Lord and do good; so shall we 
dwell in the land, and verily we shall be fed." 

We can imagine how hearty was the greeting be- 
tween the two missionaries, and how pleasantly the 
little visit wore away for both. 

Brief though Mr. Duncan's ministry had been at 
Lan-k'i, it had not been without fruit. Five years 
later a man arrived at one of the Hang-chau out- 
stations, wishing to hear more of the glad tidings he 
had learned to love, and to understand in part, from 
the lips of a tall, thin foreigner who spent one sum- 
mer at his city. All this time he had worshiped only 
the one true God, "Who had sent His son to die on 
the Cross for the sins of men." He had now come 
to learn more, and to join the church. 

Mr. Duncan's health had given way before this 
time, but not until he had done much good work 
at Nankin and elsewhere, as we shall see later. In 
1872 he had to return to England, where he passed 
away, not long after, from rapid phthisis. Mr. Tsiu, 
his faithful colleague, also ended his course about the 



144 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

same time, and it was a great joy to both of them to 
know of one, at least, who had come to know the Lord 
through their stay at Lan-k'i. 

One more station was opened this year. Mr. Stott, 
who had been working at Ning-po up to this time, 
now felt ready for more strenuous service, and paid 
a refreshing little visit to Mr. Taylor and the others 
at headquarters, the outcome of which was that he 
started, near the end of November, for the city of 
Wen-chau, the center of a prefecture, the southern- 
most in the province, with a population of certainly 
not less than a million souls, and entirely unevan- 
gelized. 

On the way he passed through T'ai-chau, and as 
all was peaceful and satisfactory, Mr. Jackson left 
the work for a brief change, and went on overland 
across the picturesque mountainous country to Wen- 
chau, which is delightfully situated on the southern 
bank of its river, and connected with a populous hin- 
terland by numerous waterways. It was not without 
difficulty that accommodations were obtained, and 
then only at an inn. Mr. Jackson soon returned, leav- 
ing his friend in possession. Mr. Stott soon fell in 
love with his new field of service, and described Wen- 
chau as the most perfect and the most beautiful city 
he had seen, thus far, in China. "The rebels did not 
get into it, so it is preserved and uninjured and is 
probably a specimen of what Chinese cities used to 
be before the rebellion, but the idolatry is appalling." 
Repeated attempts were made to obtain more settled 






THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 145 

and suitable accommodation than the inn afforded, 
both before Mr. Jackson left and after. Again and 
again, however, the attempt was foiled by a police- 
man. 

This man did his level best to stir up trouble. 
Three or four hundred of the baser sort were gath- 
ered together on one occasion, but Mr. Stott held 
his ground and quietly faced the crowd. After a 
while, having done but little damage, the people went 
away. He himself was practically uninjured. Noth- 
ing daunted, Mr. Stott soon repaired the more serious 
damages, and put up a notice on the door that he was 
about to open a free school. He engaged a teacher, 
and a solitary pupil appeared on the day school 
opened. Gradually, however, more and more came, 
but their studies were often interrupted by threat- 
ened difficulty. 

"For several months," Mr. Stott writes, "I was 
scarcely ever out of trouble," and he was at the un- 
usual disadvantage of being unable either to speak 
or understand the strange dialect of Wen-chau. 

The first inquirers proved to be hypocrites. Not 
so, however, an unhappy little boy, an orphan of fif- 
teen years who was one of the earliest pupils in the 
school. The entire right side of his body had been 
partly paralyzed from birth. In every way he seemed 
a most unlikely case, but under Mr. Stott' s assiduous 
care and the teacher's persevering instructions, he 
made steady progress, his intelligence increasing 

surprisingly as time went on. This lad, before long, 
10 






146 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

became an earnest inquirer, and after a time of pro- 
bation was admitted to the church. His consistent 
Christian life, and quiet, modest demeanor won their 
way with all. He became, moreover, quite an at- 
tractive preacher, and several years later he could 
hold the attention of several hundred people by the 
hour. We can imagine Mr. Stott's feelings as he sat 
and listened, picturing again the pitiful little face of 
the ragged, palsied lad, and comparing it with the 
open, intelligent countenance of the speaker. 

"As I listened," he says, "to his soft, musical, yet 
manly, voice setting forth Jesus Christ and salvation 
through Him, and pleading with all, old and young, 
to believe in His name for the forgiveness of sins 
and for life eternal, it was conclusive evidence to me 
•f the truth and power of God's Word. May the 
glory be ascribed to Him to Whom alone it is due." 

Settled work had been done, as we have seen, in 
six new cities this year, four of which remained open 
at the close of the year and have never since been 
closed. The little Mission had not only doubled the 
number of its stations, but had made its first inroad 
into a neighboring province. 

The old year closed, as usual, in fasting and wait- 
ing upon God. 

Entering now upon 1868, much prayer went up 
that God would graciously grant not only that they 
might open up more cities in Cheh-kiang, in which 
they were now well established, but also that "during 






THE FIEST FOUR YEARS. 14? 

this year some decided steps might be taken toward 
the accomplishment of our cherished purpose — tak- 
ing the Gospel into some of the wholly unoccupied 
provinces," nor were these desires disappointed. 

In January, Mr. Cronibie, who it will be remem- 
bered had opened Fung-hua, succeeded in renting 
premises and commencing work in the city of Ning- 
hai, half way between his old station and T'ai-chau. 
Mr. Meadows, accompanied by Mr. Cordon, also, at 
the beginning of the year, followed Mr. Duncan's 
steps as far as the city of Su-chau. A station here 
was of great importance, both on account of tho size 
and influence of the city and because it was just half- 
way from Hang-chau to the Yang-tse. 

Work was now sufficiently advanced in Hang-chau, 
and the new workers sufficiently at home in the lan- 
guage, for Mr. and Mrs. Taylor to think of under- 
taking a forward movement themselves. Starting 
by boat up the Grand Canal, they took with them 
three ladies to join Mr. Cordon, his wife and the 
Misses McLean, as well as their own party, including 
their secretary, Miss Blatchley, the children and the 
nurse. Having left the three ladies at Su-chau, Mr. 
Taylor's party continued their journey, and about the 
end of May reached the great city of Chin-kiang, 
strategically situated at the juncture of the Grand 
Canal and the Yang-tse, but entirely without the Gos- 
pel. A suitable house was found, after a laborious 
search, and attempts were made to secure it, which 
dragged out their weary length for nearly a month. 



148 TSESE FORTY YEARS. 

Here it was proposed to set up the Mission printing 
presses under Mr. Rudland's superintendence, and 
to locate the headquarters of the Mission, for a time, 
at least. 

A letter was now sent to Hang-chau, asking Mr. 
and Mrs. Rudland to come on with the presses and 
their personal belongings. Through the interference 
of the native officials, however, the landlord refused 
point blank to allow them to take possession of the 
house they had rented, and throughout the city, in 
business house and tea room, the foreigners' discom- 
fiture was the jest of the people. 

Meanwhile Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and their family 
had gone on to Yang-chau, a day's journey to the 
north, up the Grand Canal. This remarkable en- 
gineering feat, cut some hundred years ago, reaches 
all the way from Hang-chau to Pekin, and until the 
introduction of foreign-built steamers, the canal was 
one of the main arteries for the trade and taxes of 
the empire, the latter being forwarded half in silver 
and half in rice. 

Though the accommodation secured at Yang-chau 
was only an inn, it was an exceptionally comfortable 
one. The travelers were very thankful, at this hot 
season of the year, to end their long boat journey. 
Earnestly they prayed to God that He would give 
them a permanent footing in this large and flourish- 
ing city. 

This was not to be, however, without their passing 
through very serious trials, and nearly losing their 






THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 149 

lives in a riot; an experience terrible, indeed, to the 
missionary party, but one from which many an in- 
valnable lesson was learned, to prove of great service 
later, as the Mission's field of operations gradually 
expanded west and north and south. 

This riot at Yang-chau is of special significance, 
with the circumstances which led up to it and fol- 
lowed, as an illustration of the constant danger and 
difficulty of pioneer work in China, as well as for the 
helpful warnings it suggested for future use. 

A month passed at the inn, a midsummer month 
be it remembered, before Mr. Taylor was able to se- 
cure more permanent premises, and very glad they 
all were to move into their own home toward the 
latter part of July. But, unfortunately, a series of 
troubles now commenced which culminated ere long 
in the riot. To understand fully the special diffi- 
culties at Yang-chau, it is necessary to pause a mo- 
ment to glance at the city and its people. 

Probably no place hitherto entered was prouder 
of itself — of its antiquity, its noble families, its tradi- 
tions — than this city of Yang-chau. It consisted 
really of two cities in one, old and new, or east and 
west, separated by a substantial wall, and governed 
each by its own mayor, or rather county magistrate, 
under one prefect or Fu, who controlled not only the 
entire city, but twenty other neighboring towns as 
well. 

The rebuff at Chin-kiang was particularly unfavor- 
able to obtaining a peaceful settlement in this older 



150 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

2nd aristocratic city. Though fifteen miles is almost 
a day's journey, such welcome news spreads apace 
even in China, and first the merchants and officials, 
then the scholarly classes, and finally everybody, 
knew all about the humiliation of the foreigners. 

On first taking up residence in the new house, Mr. 
and Mrs. Taylor were a little inconvenienced by the 
curiosity of crowding neighbors, but they soon be- 
came more or less friendly. Then an unfortunate 
occurrence in the city brought about fresh trouble. 
Up till this time not only had there been no Protest- 
ant missionaries in this city, but even the Catholics 
had failed to obtain a settlement. They were prepar- 
ing the way, however, and had already a foundling 
hospital under the charge of an unscrupulous native 
helper, who was pocketing the money and starving 
the infants. So many of these died that serious ru- 
mors began to spread abroad as to the foreigners* 
cannibalistic proclivities. Just at this juncture another 
of the unfortunate children died. The now thor- 
oughly-frightened employe attempted to> bury the 
body outside the city wall by stealth. He was caught 
in the act by the crowd, tried to save himself by say- 
ing he was employed by foreigners, and for days, as 
a result, Mr. Taylor's home was besieged by an angry 
mob, who were with difficulty persuaded that we had 
nothing to do with the foundling hospital, or with 
the work it represented. 

Hardly was this trouble over when two foreigners 
arrived from Chin-kiang on Saturday, August 22d, 



o 
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H 
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THE FIRST FOUR TEARS. 151 

to visit the city and see something of its ancient tem- 
ples and public buildings. Already the party at 
Yang-chau had been considerably, though very cau- 
tiously augmented by several members of the Mission 
who had come to consult with Mr. Taylor about var- 
ious details of the work. The open arrival of these 
two additional foreigners seemed to be the match 
that kindled the imminent conflagration. All Satur- 
day afternoon the Mission premises were in a state 
of siege, and soon were broken into. Keeping per- 
fectly cool and patient, and reasoning with the riot- 
ers, Mr. Taylor was able gradually to persuade them 
to retire, and the broken doors were barricaded as 
far as possible against their return. 

As night drew on, however, and the busy day was 
finished in the city, the crowd rapidly augmented 
and became more and more ungovernable, until at 
last it was manifest that it was impossible to control 
them any longer. Messages had been repeatedly sent 
to the officials, but nothing had been done. The only 
remaining hope was for Mr. Taylor to go to the 
Yamen himself, and possibly by God's blessing their 
lives might thus be saved. After briefly but very 
earnestly committing his dear ones and fellow-mis- 
sionaries to the Lord, he and Mr. Duncan managed to 
evade the rioters by leaving the premises through a 
neighbor's house. They were soon seen, however, 
and followed by a yelling crowd. The darkness 
helped them, and through Mr. Taylor's intimate 
knowledge of the city they were able to take certain 



152 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

byways that at once lessened the distance and enabled 
them better to escape the angry mob.* 

As they neared the magistrate's office the mob 
caught up with them again, and bruised with stones 
and faint with running, they fell against the Yamen's 
doors just as they were being closed in their faces to 
keep out the tumultuous crowd. Happily, just at 
this moment, the people surged upon them and burst 
open the gates before they were barred, or they would 
surely have been torn to pieces on the spot. They 
rushed through into the middle courtyard crying out 
loudly "Kiu ming! Kiu ming!" (Save life), a cry 
which mandarins are obliged to attend to at any hour 
of the day or night, especially if, at the same time, 
the large alarm drum is beaten by the petitioners. 
This drum, accordingly, is usually enclosed in a cage 
and carefully guarded against being touched. 

After waiting for a time which seemed intermin- 
able, at last they were permitted to see the prefect. 

"How is it that you have created all this uproar?" 
he asked. "And what do you do with the babies, and 
how many have you bought?" 

As soon as possible Mr. Taylor told the magistrate 

quietly but firmly that the real reason of the rioting 

was the neglect of his subordinates to quell disorder 

in its ea rly stages, of which they were informed, and 

♦There was very little doubt that in this case, as in so 
many other similar instances, the mob was being encour- 
aged by the organized action of the scholars of the city, 
who very possibly had privately notified the officials of their 
intention, and obtained a promise from them to remain neu- 
tral as long as they could. 



THE FIRST FOUR TEARS. 153 

asked him now to save the lives of the foreigners if, 
indeed, they were not killed already, and afterwards 
make any investigations he might think well. 

"Yes, yes," he replied; "first save life and after- 
wards investigate." 

Mr. Taylor and his friend were then told that 
the only chance of quieting the people was for 
themselves to remain in the Yamen, while steps were 
being taken to rescue the others and disperse the 
crowds. This he set about promptly. But we can 
imagine the distress of two hours' suspense before 
the prefect returned. The disturbance had been 
quelled, he told them, and several of the ringleaders 
arrested, and the foreign gentlemen could return. 
Chairs and an escort were provided. 

When they reached the premises they found them 
largely in ruins, with the wreckage that remained of 
their belongings scattered around on every hand. 
But of those so dear to them they saw nothing, and it 
was some time before they learned of their where- 
abouts, in neighboring houses, where at no little risk 
they had been received and kept in hiding. 

It would avail nothing to tell of the sufferings of 
the others, nor the details of the wonderful way in 
which, though battered and bruised, and some of 
them seriously injured, their lives had been pre- 
served in the midst of ten or twenty thousand en- 
raged and reckless rioters. The whole party re- 
turned to their devastated home, which was pro- 
tected now by soldiers. 



154 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

After a short night's rest the weary and exhausted 
sufferers soon discovered that the night guard of sol- 
diers had retired and were not replaced. Again the 
crowds collected, and it seemed as though the experi- 
ences of yesterday were about to be repeated. Mr. 
Taylor again faced the crowds, and by quiet reason- 
ing persuaded them that they were there with their 
families and friends for the good of the people only, 
and with no sinister designs. By this means the 
premises were at length nearly cleared. Taking ad- 
vantage of this lull, he again proceeded to the pre- 
fect's, with an aching heart, and reached the Yamen 
safely. Here further delays were threatened. "The 
prefect had not risen, had not bathed, had not break- 
fasted. I sent a message that I did not wish for an 
interview, but that riotous proceedings had again 
commenced and that there was no one to suppress the 
mob." 

The district magistrate was sent for, would soon be 
there, and would accompany Mr. Taylor to the house. 
It seemed a long, long time before he came. He 
then said that he had been first to the house and dis- 
persed the mob, and had then come to the Yamen. 
He now requested Mr. Taylor to write a very mild 
letter to the prefect, calling the trouble not a riot 
but merely a disturbance, lest the people should be- 
come more incensed than ever. Finding it absolutely 
impossible to refuse this unreasonable request, Mr. 
Taylor promised to write the letter. "In this way," 
the magistrate said, "we may restore peace before 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 155 

night, and you will not be under the necessity of 
leaving the city." 

Meanwhile Mr. Duncan and Mr. Rudland took 
their stand at the front of the house, and succeeded 
iu keeping the rioters in check until the magistrate 
arrived. After dispersing the crowd, the soldiers had 
the loot, what little remained, to themselves. Later 
in the day, the magistrate told Mr. Taylor, after in- 
sisting on and obtaining a second letter milder than 
the first, that his men were unable to keep the people 
in order, and that the only safe way would be to hire 
boats and retire for the present to Chin-kiang, 

"When you have gone we will gradually quiet the 
people, and when it is safe invite you to return." 

Boats were engaged, and next morning they all set 
out under escort to Chin-kiang. On the way they 
were met by a party of friends who had heard of 
their danger and kindly came to their relief, headed 
by the acting consul. After seeing the disabled con- 
dition of the missionaries they went on to Yang-chau, 
visited the ruined remains of home and property, and 
then returned. 

Among the party was the French consul at Chin- 
kiang, who kindly welcomed the whole company into 
his handsome new consulate. In the midst of it all, 
however, the hearts of the children were kept in 
peace, partly through the calmness of the mission- 
aries and partly through child-like confidence in the 
protection of Jesus Himself. 

The kind action of the British consul, it may be 



156. THESE FORTY YEARS. 

added, was entirely on his own initiative, as were the 
subsequent proceedings which were taken by the 
authorities. No request was made to the foreign 
representatives for protection in the first instance, or 
for justice later on. 

Among the lessons learned from this terrible ex- 
perience may be mentioned: _ 

The desirability of first of all paying repeated pre- 
liminary visits to an important city, both to accustom 
the people to the presence of foreigners and to ascer- 
tain the probability of obtaining a peaceable settle- 
ment. 

Secondly, not to take much luggage to a newly- 
opened station; for there is no doubt the rioters hoped 
to obtain valuable plunder, on account of the number 
of packages brought, including the press and medical 
supplies. 

And, thirdly, for only two or three people to at- 
tempt to settle in a newly-opened city; and also not 
to attempt, at the same time, two neighboring cities, 
for failure in the one necessarily imperils the other. 

Costly though this experience was, Mr. Taylor and 
his colleagues have often felt that it was worth all it 
cost. Mr. Taylor could not help feeling afterwards 
as he pondered what had happened, that a closer 
study of God's Word might have prevented this ex- 
perience. "There is no command to open mission 
stations in the Word of God, and there is no prece- 
dent to be found there. The command is to go into 
all the world, and preach: . . . and the examples 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 157 

recorded of the earliest missionaries might have led 
us from the first to give itineration a greater promi- 
nence than we did." And while stations become 
necessary, both as a basis for itinerations which could 
not be continued without them, and in other ways, 
"it is surely a great mistake to make location our first 
aim, instead of keeping it in a strictly subordinate 
position as an auxiliary." 

It was August the 2 2d when the riot occurred, 
and by November we find the missionaries again 
safely reinstated at Yang-chau, under the protection 
of the mayors of the city. In the meanwhile, Mr. 
Taylor, accompanied by another worker, had evan- 
gelized northward up the canal as far as Ts'ing-kiang- 
p'u, a hundred miles or four days beyond Yang-chau. 
Four large towns and twenty-five cities of some im- 
portance were visited on this journey, all of which were 
entirely without the Gospel. "May God soon clear 
our way," Mr. Taylor wrote, and prayed, "to return 
to Yang-chau, and to open up new stations further in- 
land also." Not only was Yang-chau reoccupied that 
autumn, but the important city of Ts'ing-kiang-p'u 
was also opened a few months later, a house being 
obtained by the indefatigable George Duncan, who 
through God's blessing and his previous experience 
was enabled to enter upon residence in peace. When, 
later on, he returned to Nankin, he was replaced by 
Mr. Reid, one of the worst sufferers at the Yang-chau 
riot, and the work was greatly owned and prospered 
of the Lord. For the present, therefore, Yang-chau 



158 THESE FORTY YEARS). 

remained headquarters, as well as the home of Mr. 
Taylor's family. 

This account of the Yang-chau troubles would not 
be complete without digressing a moment to follow 
some of the ring-leaders, whom the magistrates either 
did not dare or did not care to punish. The prefect, 
whose inactivity was practically and, perhaps, di- 
rectly the cause of the riot, and who was so loth to 
interfere, within twelve months "fell into the hands 
of banditti on his way to Pekin. He and his son 
both lost their lives; all his property was pillaged, 
and his wives and one or two of his children had to 
beg their way along the latter part of the journey. 

"The district magistrate at a later period also fell 
into trouble. The whole family of the literary man 
Koh, who was one of the chief inciters of the people, 
has become impoverished. The man who attempted 
to murder Mr. Rudland, and who was the leader of 
the ruffians that broke into our house, has not only 
himself been punished by the authorities, but his 
family, on account of their misdeeds . . . have be- 
come infamous in the eyes of the Chinese." 

These facts became so well known in the city that 
an attempt to create still more serious trouble in 
1871, by a military mandarin, was entirely unavail- 
ing. The people would have nothing to do with the 
business. "God can yet say to a people, 'Touch not 
mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm/ and 
not infrequently He does." 

The Yang-tse river, now so well known from its 



THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. 159 

new political significance, rising among the eternal 
snows of Thibet, runs from west to east across China, 
dividing it into two nearly equal parts, of which one 
may roughly say that South China (including a large 
part of the valley of the Yang-tse) eats rice, and 
North China, wheat. 

After three thousand miles this mighty river 
empties itself into the sea by a wide double channel 
through the province of Kiang-su, of which Shanghai 
has long been the commercial center. To this prov- 
ince and the one immediately to the south, Cheh- 
kiang, the young Mission was still limited at the end 
of 1868. But not so their desires, which were steadily 
set on the regions beyond. 

Christmas Day, indeed, had been spent by the 
now experienced Mr. Meadows and his friend, Mr. 
Williamson, at Nankin, in the home of George Dun- 
can and his bride. And New Year's eve found them 
well on the way up river to Gan-king, capital of one 
of the eleven unoccupied provinces, to commence 
work in which, the China Inland Mission had been 
formed. 

No province had suffered more severely in the T'ai- 
p'ing rebellion than this province of An-huei, and it 
had long been a burden on the heart of Mr. Taylor. 
Probably thirty out of its forty millions had perished 
through war and famine and plague, "all uncared 
for, unsought, untaught, unsaved." 

The generous immigration schemes of the paternal 
government had probably added not fewer than ten 



160 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

millions to the province, which thus numbered now, 
approximately, twenty million inhabitants. To Gan- 
king, then, Meadows and Williamson were on the 
way. 

They did not expect their task to be a sinecure. 
Nor was it. Profiting by the past, they lived on 
their boat for a time, paying daily visits to the city. 
When they did try to obtain a house, it proved a 
long and wearisome affair. After many unsuccessful 
attempts, their evangelistic work going on uninter- 
ruptedly the while, they had to content themselves 
with rooms in a rough hotel near the west gate of the 
city; and this was all they could obtain for months. 

Never before had they met such utter indifference. 
No one seemed curious or interested about the 
strangers themselves; no one seemed to care to hear 
their message, and still less was any one willing to 
rent a house to the "foreign dogs." 

One day, almost in despair, Mr. Meadows wished 
they "could find some scoundrel who feared nobody 
but wanted money, and would be willing to rent a 
house." Shortly after he ran down to visit his family. 
No sooner was he gone, than an aged man called to 
see Mr. Williamson and offered to rent his premises. 

"I am an old man/' he said, "and am afraid of no 
one. Neither mandarins nor scholars will interfere 
with me." (One of the officials told the missionaries, 
some months later, that this man was about the worst 
character in the city. "He feared neither gods nor 
men.") 






THE FIEST FOUR YEARS. 161 

The old man went on to say that he was building 
premises that would be in every way satisfactory, 
but had run short of money, and would need a year's 
rent in advance to complete the house. With due 
care and caution, deeds were drawn up by trust- 
worthy middlemen, the year's rent paid over, and at 
last there was prospect of a settled home. When 
Mr. Meadows returned he brought his family with 
him, hoping to enter into residence at once, in which 
he was disappointed for several weeks. At the end, 
however, they got safely into their new and very 
welcome home. 

They remained in peace for three months, through 
the summer, but with the autumn came the annual 
literary examinations, during which the city is 
crowded with students, and with business men who 
come from all the neighboring towns and country to 
share in the profits of the busiest season in the year. 
This was obviously a grand opportunity to stir up 
trouble; and trouble the scholars did stir up, indeed. 
Another riot occurred, in which many of the features 
of the Yang-chau experience were repeated. Their 
home was completely wrecked, and all their belong- 
ings either stolen or destroyed. 

Early in the day, as trouble was threatened and 
the city placarded with hostile exhortations, Mr. 
Meadows and his colleague had called upon the 
tao-t'ai, who was nominally responsible for the for- 
eigners' safety. During their absence a furious mob 

gathered and broke into the house; but Mrs. Meadows 
11 



162 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

and the children, after many vicissitudes, succeeded 
in reaching the Yamen safely by God's gracious pro- 
tection, and through the courageous devotion of a 
faithful native servant. 

When the riot was over they had to leave the city 
for a time, a boat being provided by the Yamen to 
take them to Kiu-kiang. They suffered from the cold 
a good deal by the way, for they had nothing with 
them except the scanty bedding furnished by the 
authorities, not even soap or towels, or even a comb, 
still less any books. They were thankful, however, 
to be alive and safe. Five days' journey brought 
them to Kiu-kiang, where they were kindly received 
by the few foreign residents, and a free passage was 
obtained by steamer down the river. 

The native authorities promptly investigated the 
riot, punished the student ringleaders, and put out 
a very satisfactory proclamation, after which the mis- 
sionaries were invited to return. The brethren did 
so, and some weeks later, not without some trepida- 
tion, and not a little courage, also, and confidence in 
God, Mrs. Meadows took the children back. Difficult 
as the work proved at Gan-king, the two missionaries 
were not without encouragement. Five or six con- 
verts were received into fellowship before it became 
necessary, on account of failing health and other 
claims, for them to go down to the coast. George 
Duncan took on the work, as an out-station, from 
Nankin, and about this time took the first missionary 
itineration in the province of An-huei. 



THE FIBST FOUR YEAES. 163 

For fifteen years the China Inland Mission con- 
tinued to be the only workers in this province. 

But not this province only was opened in 1869. 
A new missionary had joined the China Inland Mis- 
sion, who for seven years had been praying for un- 
evangelized Kiang-si.* Mr. Cardwell, on his first 
arrival in China, was stationed at T'ai-chau. Here, 
however, after three months' study of the language, 
his health gave way so seriously that it was feared 
he might have to return to England. 

"Never," he said, "after seven years' prayer for 
this work." 

He tried Kiu-kiang, on the Yang-tse, the commer- 
cial center of Kiang-si, and it suited his health to 
perfection. He steadily regained strength, and be- 
fore long we find him taking extensive evangelistic 
journeys, the first in the province on which his heart 
had been set so long. 

Thus ended the first four years of the China Inland 
Mission. In January, 1866, when the first Occa- 
sional Paper was prepared for the press, its work 
was limited to ising-po, with four missionaries en- 
gaged in the work, and three others on the way, 
beside Mr. and Mrs. Taylor at home. 

Now, at the beginning of 1870, there were thirty- 
three missionaries, in thirteen stations with eight out- 



*The first worker to settle in this province was the Rev. 
Dr. Hart, a distinguished "Southern Methodist," who com- 
menced work in Kiu-kiang shortly after the China Inland 
Mission was formed. 



104 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

stations, working in two of the old provinces and in 
two of the eleven unoccupied provinces for which 
prayer had been asked and obtained, at the time of 
the formation of the Mission. 

Then there were fifty or sixty converts at Ning-po. 
]\ T ow there were one hundred and sixty members, 
connected with a dozen churches, besides some hun- 
dreds of inquirers waiting to be received. 

In gauging the importance of these facts it will 
be remembered that the early stages of missionary 
work are always slow, and that a single convert from 
heathenism is very real cause for thankfulness ; also, 
that work in the pioneer stage is always far less pro- 
ductive in numerical results than it is later. 

Moreover, much of the new missionaries' time had 
necessarily been spent in learning the language, in 
becoming acquainted with the manners and customs 
of the people, in striving to obtain settlement in diffi- 
cult but strategic places, and in gradually, though 
slowly, obtaining access not only to homes but hearts. 

During all this time Mr. Berger continued to carry 
the onerous responsibilities of correspondence, and 
of candidates, and the management of funds at home. 
Again and again his faith had been tested. Several 
times the balance in hand was "as low as £20; yet, 
to the praise of God's grace, I may say, it has never 
been necessary to send money to China without my 
being able to do so, and even the full amount that 
I desired." 

During these years over seventy thousand dollars 



THE FIBST FOUR YEAES. 165 

had been received, without any request for money, 
through the Lord's stewards, who wished to share in 
what they felt to be His work. 

"Thus tenderly," wrote Mr. Berger, a is He teach- 
ing us to put our trust in Him." 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 

To the minds of many, as we have seen, the China 
Inland Mission was foredoomed to failure. It had 
now, however, passed the stage of an experiment; 
the thing worked. And had it not thereby, if it was 
really letting in the Light, proved its right to be % 

To the inner circle of its members and its friends 
this, and something more, was proved. They had 
known, to begin with, that when the Lord said "all 
these things shall be added," He intended to fulfill 
His promise. They knew now that God had set the 
seal of His approval on the work, as they had hoped 
He would, and that meant everything. The new 
methods of finance, of selection of men, the ways of 
working among the people, and the prayer basis of 
it all, had been put to the trial, and had stood the 
test, and deepened faith and confidence in God was 
the result. 

And that being so, the young Mission being 
"strengthened, settled, stablished" of God, and know- 
ing it, God was about to temper the proven steel by 
fire. The year 1870 was the darkest and the hardest, 
until 1900, that the Mission ever knew. Every sta- 
tion, most of them young stations, be it remembered, 

166 






THE NEXT SIX TEARS. 167 

was in peril. Funds were low. And personal sorrow 
came on not a few, heaviest of all on Mr. Hudson 
Taylor. 

In that year took place the terrible massacre of 
Tien-tsin, in which the Roman Catholic cathedral and 
the French consulate were demolished and twenty 
Europeans, priests and nuns, cruelly butchered in 
cold blood. The news of this spread rapidly, growing 
as it went, transmitted through the Yamens, by 
which all outside news still reaches the interior. The 
whole of China became in a ferment. It seemed for 
a time as though missionary work must cease, so 
serious was the trouble. 

From the new inland stations the ladies were with- 
drawn, the men remaining at their posts. About 
this time the viceroy at Nankin was murdered, a 
strong man, just the one needed at that crisis. Writ- 
ing of this, Mr. Duncan adds, "Is it not strange that 
the viceroy, who had so many soldiers continually on 
guard, should thus be laid low by the assassin's hand, 
while we, who seem so helpless and exposed, are pre- 
served in safety? Truly, the angel of the Lord en- 
campeth about them that fear Him, and delivereth 
them." 

Strangely enough, it was along the Yang-tse main- 
ly that these troubles and rumors were the worst. 
It seems probable that the diversion of the carrying 
trade, which used to bring goods and tribute and rice 
from South China to Pekin, either overland or by the 
Grand Canal, to steamers, had a good deal to do with 



168 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

the feeling at these river ports. At Gan-king the 
utter lack of interest in the foreigners and their 
teachings was changed to strong and manifest dislike. 
Special troubles, moreover, enhanced the danger 
there, especially extensive floods from the overflow- 
ing of the Yang-tse, which, of course, destroying 
crops for a wide area, left the poor farm people with- 
out the means of subsistence for the coming winter. 

Still further up the river, at Kiu-kiang, Mr. Card- 
well also was in danger. The city was placarded with 
notices that on the 28th day of the month all the 
foreigners would be killed. 

Meanwhile, fearing foreign reprisal, large num- 
bers of soldiers were massed at Tien-tsin, at Nankin 
and Gan-king, and other points on the Yang-tse were 
being fortified. 

By the overruling of God, however, all these trou- 
bles passed, and by New Year, 1871, the threatenings 
of war and evil rumors had blown away. The strain, 
however, upon Mr. Taylor and his colleagues had 
been severe. 

As already mentioned, personal sorrow had come 
to several members of the Mission at this time. Early 
in the year 1870, Mr. Taylor's third son, little Sam- 
uel, the baby of the "Lammermuir/' became sud- 
denly worse; he had been ailing all the winter. "On 
February 4th," Mr. Taylor wrote, "the tender Shep- 
herd came to us, seeking this little lamb." 

It had already been decided that the children, ex- 
cept the youngest, should go home to England. Miss 



THE NEXT SIX YEAKS. 169 

Blatchley kindly volunteered to take them, and on 
the 23d of March they started. It was a sore parting 
for Mrs. Taylor, herself far from strong. 

Hurrying back to Chin-kiang, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor 
found Mrs. Judd apparently dying. Every means 
was tried, and weary days and nights were passed in 
watching. United prayer was also made, and was 
heard, for the turning came, and the patient re- 
covered. 

At the commencement of the summer, Mr. and 
Mrs. Rudland lost a little one. Mrs. Taylor wrote at 
once, with her unvarying sympathy, to comfort the 
sorrowing parents. 

The very next month Mrs. Taylor herself was 
stricken with cholera. This was July 5th. Two 
days later little Noel was born, but within a fort- 
night he also was called home. Three days later, 
the early dawn showed clearly the shadow of death 
on Mrs. Taylor's face. "She awoke rejoicing in the 
Lord, and gave me a bright smile," writes Mr. Taylor. 
"I said, 'My darling, do you know that you are 
dying?' 

"She answered, with a look of surprise, 'Can it be 
so? I feel no pain, only very weary.' 

"My precious wife thought of my being left alone 
at this time of trial, having no companion like herself 
with whom I had so long been wont to bring every 
difficulty to the Throne of Grace. She said, 'I am 
so sorry,' and then paused, as if half correcting her- 
self for venturing to feel sorry. 



170 THESE FORTY YEARS. 



ac 



'You are not sorry to go to be with Jesus?' I 
responded. 

"Never shall I forget the smile she gave me, as, 
looking right into my eyes, she said, 'Oh no! it is not 
that. You know, dearest, that for ten years past 
there has not been a cloud between my soul and my 
Saviour. I cannot be sorry to go to Him. But I 
grieve to leave you alone at this time. Perhaps I 
ought not to be sorry, though, for He will be with 
you, and will supply all your need.' 

* * •* * # * * 

"On July 23d this beloved one also slept in Jesus. 
I scarcely knew whether she or I was the more 
blessed, so real, so constant, so satisfying was His 
presence, so deep my delight in the consciousness that 
His will was being done, that that will, which was 
utterly crushing me, was good, was wise, was best. 

"The next two months were months of personal 
sickness and prostration, and my beloved youngest 
child, the only one remaining with me, was brought 
very near the grave. But God in tender pity spared 
him." 

The year, however, was not without encourage- 
ments. "He knoweth our frame; He remembereth 
that we are dust." It being necessary for the ladies 
to be withdrawn from Yang-chau, as well as from 
the other advanced stations, a quiet work was com- 
menced at Chin-kiang, a work which had been much 
on Mr. Taylor's heart. 

For this new venture, the establishment of a school 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 171 

for girls, and a special work for women, carried on 
by sisters only, more ample accommodation was 
needed than it was possible to secure, for Chin-kiang 
had been so seriously damaged by the T'ai-p'ings 
that there were scarcely houses enough for the re- 
quirements of the natives, the trade of the port hav- 
ing largely recovered meanwhile. Evidently the 
premises would have to be built. Mr. Taylor did 
not feel it right, however, to appropriate the money 
from the slender exchequer of the Mission. If he 
had had enough money of his own, he would gladly 
have used it in this way. His own needs^ both in 
China and at home, had been met for years inde- 
pendently of the Mission. But the small surplus that 
he had in hand had already been needed for the 
home-going of the children. "I had not long been 
asking God about this matter when there reached me, 
from a relative of my own, a minister of the Gospel 
in England, a gift of a hundred pounds, with the 
request that I would take it for my own private use, 
and not consider it as a contribution to the Mission." 
Never before had so large a sum been put into 
his hands for his own use. But God knew. An ex- 
cellent site was secured and after weeks of careful 
negotiation the deed of purchase was signed, stamped 
with the Yamen seal, and registered. The ground 
was leveled and prepared with the remainder of the 
money. At this juncture another letter arrived from 
home with another gift of a hundred pounds, also 
for himself. Some furniture and other articles no 



172 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

longer needed by Mr. Taylor were sold, and thus the 
balance of the money for the buildings was obtained. 
Admirably situated, opposite the delightfully breezy 
hills that form one of the chief attractions of Chin- 
kiang, the new school-house was all that was desired. 
And before the heat of the summer began, Miss 
Bowyer and Miss Desgraz commenced this new work 
among the women and children of that populous city 
and neighborhood. 

During 1871, moreover, peace being reestablished, 
Mr. Cardwell was able to leave Kiu-kiang and to 
commence extensive itinerations throughout his prov- 
ince. During that year and the next, more than a 
hundred towns, cities and villages were visited, and 
upwards of fifteen thousand portions of Scripture and 
tracts put into circulation in districts which had never 
before heard the message of salvation. 

In the next province, An-huei, Mr. Duncan, not 
content with his double charge of Rankin and Gran- 
king, undertook extensive itinerations in company 
with Mr. Harvey. It was in the autumn of 1871 
that these two missionaries carried the good tidings 
for the first time to the populous port Wuhu, a city 
of special importance from the fact that all the salt 
of the province — salt is a government monopoly in 
China — has to be obtained either from this town or 
from another two hundred miles to the north. Xot a 
few other important cities heard the Gospel message 
for the first time through this journey of Duncan 
and Harvey. 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 173 

At the same time, itinerations were being made in 
the two older provinces. It was a great cheer, of 
course, to the missionaries, that it was possible to 
travel again without danger. Indeed, this year of 
1871 was the first in which extensive evangelistic 
journeys, in the regions beyond, were attempted by 
members of the Mission. The reestablishment of 
friendly relations with their neighbors in most, if 
not all, the stations of the Mission was another great 
cause for thanksgiving. But most cheering of all was 
the way in which the native church at Hang-chau 
began to lay hold of the privilege of missionary serv- 
ice. This movement, moreover, sprang directly out 
of the troubles of the year before. 

The Christians had seen that their foreign friends 
were really cast upon God for protection and preser- 
vation during that trying time, just as they them- 
selves needed to be, in their times of difficulty and 
persecution. About this time one of the native 
helpers, a convert of the early Elng-po days, re- 
turned from his out-station to confer with Mr. Mc- 
Carthy, who was still in charge of the Hang-chau 
work. 

This Mr. Lo had had a checkered experience. 
Nearly blind and much run down, he had come for 
medical help to Mr. Taylor soon after his first arrival 
at Ning-po. Not only was his sight restored, but 
through the kindness of the missionaries he came to 
understand something of the love of God. He was 
among the first of many who at that time learned to 



174 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

read the Romanized colloquial.* Some time after, 
when Mr. Taylor took charge of Dr. Parker's hos- 
pital, young Lo was one of the little group of native 
Christians who so willingly lent a hand, and his 
happy shining face did as much as his earnest words 
to persuade the patients to believe. For some years 
the young convert stood well, but during the terrible 
times of the T'ai-p'ing rebellion his faith failed. He 
went back, and strange to say, health and sight both 
failed again. 

Hearing, later, that Mr. Taylor had returned to 
China and had commenced medical work at Hang- 
chau, the sick man trudged wearily the long dusty 
road, and arrived in a pitiful condition. The same 
kindly welcome impressed him, and the same means 
were used and blessed to his physical and spiritual 
restoration. Again he started on the study of the 
Testament and studied thoroughly. He would con- 
fine his attention to one book, until he nearly knew 
it by heart, before he went on to another, so that 
what he knew, he knew, though he often remained 
surprisingly ignorant of elementary truths in other 
parts of the Bible. For a time he was employed in 
household service, but his zeal and consistent life sug- 
gested that he be allowed a wider sphere for his 

♦It is interesting to know that every one of those early 
students, who mastered the Ning-po Testament, came to 
know the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. This reminiscence of 
the result of Bible study in the local dialect, Romanized, is 
exactly paralleled by the recent experience of Pilkington 
and his colleagues in Uganda. 



THE KEXT SIX YEARS. 175 

obvious gifts. First, as a colporteur, lie sold tracts 
and Scriptures, and soon he was doing the work of an 
evangelist among the border towns of Cheh-kiang 
and An-huei. 

It was in 1871 that Lo came to confer with Mr. 
McCarthy, expecting to return to his out-station after 
a few days' visit. It so happened that at this time 
Mr. McCarthy was in difficulty; his funds were nearly 
spent. Indeed, so obvious was the state of the ex- 
chequer that one of the church members, knowing 
Mr. McCarthy would not accept a loan, pawned his 
own clothes, and brought the handsome sum of 
twenty dollars as a contribution to the work. Lo was 
not slow to grasp the situation, and feeling that 
money and men from abroad must necessarily be in- 
adequate to the immense needs which he was be- 
ginning to realize, thought and prayed, until a bright 
idea occurred to him. With Mr. McCarthy's cordial 
approval he suggested to the little church that they 
should start a home missionary society. He reminded 
them that all the privileges they enjoyed, all that 
made their lives happier and their future infinitely 
more blessed than their neighbors', they owed to mis- 
sionaries and to their obedience to our Lord's com- 
mand. And very earnestly he urged that they, too, 
should do something to spread the good news they 
had thus received. He suggested that, month by 
month, each church member should give as God had 
prospered him, and that as soon as they had sufficient 
they should select and send forth their own repre- 



176 



THESE FORTY YEARS. 



sentatives to preach the Gospel in the neighboring 
towns. Five thousand cash was raised at once (then 
equal to five gold dollars) enough to keep a worker 
and pay his traveling expenses for a month, and a 
bright young fellow, named Chang Ling-iong, was 
selected for the service, which the church entered 
upon with all the heartiness that Lo and the mis- 
sionaries could desire. 

This man Chang, trained in that early pioneer 
effort of the native church at Hang-chau, remains 
to this day in the work of the ministry. He is the 
pastor of one of the most successful stations in 
Kiang-si. 

At !Ning-po, the first station of the Mission, the 
work was now under the charge of a native pastor, 
Mr. McCarthy paying occasional visits from Hang- 
chau. The ^Ting-po pastor was a man named Tsiu,* 
who had been another of the early converts at Ning- 
po. At Hang-chau also the native pastor, Wang, was 
rendering the most invaluable help, as were several 
of the more active members of the native missionary 
society. 

Among the women, Miss Paulding continued to 
work with much acceptance, and to this day the name 
and memory of "Miss Fu" is cherished in many a 
mother's heart. 

By midsummer, 1871, less than five years from 
the commencement of this Hang-chau work, the little 



♦Pronounce dzew, rhyming with dew. 



THE 2TEXT SIX YEARS. 177 

church had grown to more than fifty members, and 
steadv work was established in four out-stations, 
ministered to from week to week by the members of 
the church. 

One of Mr. McCarthy's most important duties all 
this time had been the training of these native 
helpers, many of whom worked at their own expense ; 
and from this little band of fellow-laborers, as well 
as from the boys in Miss Faulding's school, not a 
few of the present valued pastors and evangelists 
have come. 

Xative helpers used to go with Mr. McCarthy to 
the tea shops, where they would take turns with him 
in speaking to the crowds that gathered round the 
foreigner. Any who could be trusted were sent 
further afield to the out-stations and regions beyond, 
while others were kept with Mr. McCarthy, for a 
time of Bible study, to learn the truths they would 
afterwards teach their neighbors. 

In the early records of the Mission there are many 
references to the boys' and girls' schools under Miss 
Faulding's supervision. Many of the pupils became 
staunch Christians and earnest workers. 

In a letter home we read : "Several have now com- 
mitted to memory the whole ISTew Testament, with 
the exception of two of the Gospels. 

"The children are all so glad to be here. They 
look upon it more in the light of a happy home than 
a school, and I like it to be so." !No wonder the 
pupils turned out well! 

12 



178 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Hang-chau was not, however, a very healthy city, 
and her labors early and late, at home and abroad, 
began to tell upon Miss Paulding's health. In 1871 
she was ordered home and took the journey with Mr. 
and Mrs. Meadows. 

"Not long after, Mr. Hudson Taylor, whose health 
had been failing for some time was obliged to return 
to England. Happily, however, the journey restored 
him, and at the commencement of the winter he was 
united in marriage to Miss Faulding. They settled 
in North London, near the well-known Mildway Con- 
ference Hall, at first in lodgings, and then at 6 Pyr- 
land road, which, with the neighboring houses, con- 
tinued to be the home center of the Mission for many 
years. During this visit home two important changes 
came in the work. 

All these years the entire home department of the 
Mission had been lovingly and ably carried on by 
Mr. and Mrs. Berger. They were advanced in years, 
however, and as the work and the responsibility 
steadily increased, it became more than they could 
manage. Very reluctantly, they felt compelled to 
resign. In doing so, Mr. Berger wrote a loving letter 
to Mr. Taylor, assuring him of his continued interest 
in the work. A few lines may be quoted: 

"Failing health on the part of myself and my dear 
wife, combined with other increasing claims, unmis- 
takably indicate the necessity for this step. Our 
sympathies with the work are as warm as ever. . . . 

"My relation with dear Mr. Taylor has been one 



THE 1SBXT SIX YEARS. 179 

of unbroken and harmonious fellowship, to which I 
shall ever look back with feelings of satisfaction and 
gratitude." 

The work laid down by Mr. and Mrs. Berger, Mr. 
Taylor undertook. For a time he bore it single- 
handed, but he was home on furlough and needed 
rest. A very kind letter came to him about this time 
from two warm personal friends, Mr. John Challice 
and Mr. William Hall, reminding Mr. Taylor of the 
advice of Jethro, "The thing thou doest is not good, 
thou wilt surely wear away," and offering to render 
very gladly any help they could. This raised a new 
question in Mr. Taylor's mind. He had often been 
helped in China by counsel with the more experienced 
workers. Why should not a little circle of friends 
at home, who were agreed in earnest desire for 
China's enlightenment, and who cordially approved 
of the main principles of the work, be permanently 
associated as an advisory council? As a result, after 
much prayer, such a council was invited. And from 
this time forward, the "London Council" has been 
one of the mainstays of the China Inland Mission. 
One of the original members, Mr. Challice, became 
the Treasurer, and Mr. E. H. Hill the Honorary 
Secretary, and one of the members of the Mission, 
Mr. Henry Soltau, became Assistant Secretary. 

Within a year, in the fall of 1872, we find Mr. 
Taylor returning to China, leaving the entire home 
department of the work to the new council, and it 
was easy to understand his gratitude to God and to 



180 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

His servants who had thus undertaken this most im- 
portant ministry. 

It need hardly be said that Mr. and Mrs. Taylor 
received a very cordial welcome in China. On ar- 
rival there they proceeded to Hang-chau, and noted, 
with great satisfaction and thanksgiving, the changes 
six years had wrought, from the time they settled 
there, in 1866. Then Ning-po and three neighboring 
cities were manned by seven workers. Now sixteen 
stations in four provinces were occupied by thirty 
missionaries. 

New Year's eve was spent, as usual, in fasting and 
waiting upon God, praying especially that the new 
year, 1873, might be one of definite progress toward 
the interior, those nine inland provinces that were 
still without a messenger for Christ. The progress 
they prayed for, undeterred by the fact that 1872 
had been a year of financial straitness, was granted 
graciously. The number of stations and out-stations 
was nearly doubled, eleven new stations and out-sta- 
tions being opened within the year. But they were 
all located in four provinces, in which the work had 
been established for some time. Among the new 
stations was Shanghai, which has ever since been the 
business center of the Mission, an obviously necessary 
arrangement which could be no longer overlooked. 
Funds continued low, however. The matter was 
therefore brought before the Lord again at the close 
of 1873, and, unknown to them, the answer, both in 
men and money, was already on the way. 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 181 

For some time the Council in London had been 
wishing to send out reinforcements, and two, indeed, 
had gone; but at the close of the year they were much 
cast on God for more men and larger means. He 
sent both. 

In the previous year, 1872, Dr. and Mrs. Grattan 
Guinness had commenced, in the east end of London, 
that training institution for missionaries which has 
since become so widely known, and from which over 
a thousand missionaries have gone forth into almost 
every missionary country in the world. Two of the 
very first to leave this consecrated home were Henry 
Taylor and Frederick Bailer, who offered themselves 
for China. They were heartily recommended by Dr. 
Guinness, and were accepted with all confidence for 
the forward movement which was so much on the 
hearts of all. 

About this time, also, Mr. and Mrs. Judd, whose 
brief furlough was over, were handed a considerable 
sum of money for new workers and new work. Other 
remarkable answers to prayer continued to encourage 
the faith of Mr. Taylor and his fellow-missionaries. 
One of these, received early in December, 1873, said: 
"In two months' time I hope to place in the hands 
of your council of arrangement the sum of eight hun- 
dred pounds for the further expansion of the inland 
China work. Please remember — for fresh prov- 
inces." 

"Need I say,'' Mr. Taylor adds, "that when a copy 



182 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

of this letter reached me in China it caused my heart 
to sing for joy?" 

Mr. and Mrs. Judd went forward to Wu-ch'ang, 
the capital of Ilu-peh, and there established what 
they trusted would become the basis for the new 
western work of the China Inland Mission. Not long 
after, another sum of three thousand pounds was 
given for work in western China by donors who 
wished their names withheld. 

As is well known, Wu-ch'ang is the chief govern- 
ing city of central China, and is situated at the head 
of the more navigable lower Yang-tse, just opposite 
Han-kow, that great commercial metropolis to and 
from which large ocean-going steamers carry mer- 
chandise. In these two cities and the adjacent Han- 
yang, three cities in one, there is a total population 
of not less than two millions. 

vVu-ch'ang is not merely the capital of Ilu-peh and 
residence of the governor, but also the seat of the 
viceroy of Ilu-peh and Hu-nan. 

Time fails to tell of the rapid development during 
these years of the churches in the older stations, ex- 
cept in the briefest possible manner. 

Wen-chau, the southernmost station in Cheh-kiang, 
which was opened, it will be remembered, in 1867, 
proved an exceptionally difficult place. But the thing 
that tells in China is hard work and keeping at it. 
George Stott, and from 1870 onwards Mrs. Stott, 
were the right kind of people for that post. Mr. Stott 
had said, iri Scotland, "I had not thought of running 



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THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 183 

away," and he was put to the test. The city was 
placarded, the mob gathered, burst into the house, 
and asked him why he did not go. "We have come 
to turn you out/' they said. "Why don't you run 
away?" 

Mr. Stott looked them squarely in the faces, cour- 
ageous because he knew the Lord was with him, and 
had sent him to Wen-chau. "Run away!" he said. 
"How in the world do you expect a man with one leg 
to run away?" 

The crowd began to smile. A Chinese crowd is 
generally won if it can be made to laugh. It proved 
so in this case. 

They said, "He is harmless, let him alone," and 
left. 

Mr. Stott is no longer with us. On Easter Sunday, 
1889, he was called to his reward. 

"This is what we live for," he wrote in one of his 
letters home, "what we pray and hope for — to lead 
souls to Christ. If we fail in this, our lives are a 
failure; if successful here, then our lives are a suc- 
cess. We want to lay up riches for eternity and to 
put jewels in the Saviour's crown." 

Once, in the early days, Mr. Stott was for three 
weeks entirely without money. A merchant, with 
whom he had done business, called upon him. 

"Mr. Stott, how is it that you have not been in to 
order rice of late? Yours must be nearly finished." 

"The rice is almost come to an end," he answered, 
"but I cannot order more just now." 



184 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

"Why not?" queried his friend, insistently. 

"Well, if you must know, simply because I have 
no money to pay for it." 

Soon after the man sent, as a gift, two coolie loads 
of rice and three thousand cash (about three dollars 
gold). When this was finished, the same kind friend 
again supplied the need. 

"I certainly had some of the nearest approaches 
to God during those twenty-one days that I have ever 
experienced," wrote Mr. Stott. 

Among the early converts was a priest, a Buddhist 
priest. "A very unlikely inquirer," thought the 
native assistant when first they met; but he treated 
him courteously, and the priest came again. 

"I want to buy some more books," he said gravely. 
"I, too, believe in Christ." 

And so it proved. Abandoning his profession and 
his living in the idol temple, he became a private 
citizen, as the Chinese express it, supporting himself 
on a farm in his native place. 

Reference has already been made to Mr. Stott's 
boys' school which proved of immense help, like that 
at Hang-chau, in training Christians for the future 
work. 

About the time to which we have now come, 1874, 
an out-station was opened at P'ing-yang (locally pro- 
nounced Bing-yae). Rapidly the work has grown 
there since. It is now a large and flourishing inde- 
pendent station. At the present time (1902) there 
is scarcely a station of the China Inland Mission 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 185 

which gives more cause for thankfulness to God than 
this district of Wen-chau. Quite a number of un- 
paid helpers are regularly engaged every Sunday in 
many of the surrounding towns and villages. The 
church members number over a thousand, including 
the whole district, with a number of inquirers on 
probation, waiting for admission to the church. 

Mrs. Stott's work among the women of that station 
has been most encouraging, though during the first 
seven years but one woman had come to know the 
Lord. Perseverance carried her through, until she 
was able to say of three of the believers, the outcome 
of cottage meetings of only twos and threes, "They 
were the finest Christian women I have known any- 
where, a perfect joy to me." 

Before we turn from this interesting station, one 
other little incident, a sample of many similar wild 
stories circulated against the missionaries, must be 
told: One Sunday afternoon Mr. Stott was preach- 
ing to a considerable audience, and had occasion to 
look once or twice at his watch. One of the men 
asked his neighbor anxiously: 

"What is that?" 

"That? Don't you know what that is? It is a hocus- 
pocus instrument by which he can tell just how many 
people are being deceived by his foolish talk." 

But nothing discouraged George Stott. He kept 
right on; and now, though he is gone, his work still 
prospers. 



186 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Next, to the north, is the important city of T'ai- 
chau, now one of the most important missionary sta- 
tions in China, one in which converts have been ad- 
mitted to fellowship, literally, by hundreds. Mr. and 
Mrs. Budland have been in charge of the work since 
1870, when there was a promising little church of six 
or seven members, until now the membership in that 
district numbers well over two thousand. Many in- 
teresting stories of that delightful station might be 
told if space permitted. One brief incident must 
suffice. 

One of the most valuable helpers at that center 
was a man named Yi-chun. He was seated in the 
street chapel one day, not exactly casting the net for 
fish, but rather angling. A man came in, bought 
several books, and seemed interested. 

"You were not, then, always a sing-Yie-su-go- 
nying?" (Believer-in- Jesus.) 

"No," answered Yi-chun, naming the religious or- 
der to which he once belonged. 

"Strange ! I am also an unworthy member of that 
sect," exclaimed the guest. 

And Yi-chun gave him the reasons why he had 
abandoned his old faith for the new, and told of the 
peace he now enjoyed in believing. 

"This is just what I want," the other man replied. 
And before long he, too, was an out-and-out believer, 
working earnestly among his neighbors in the coun- 
try. Several of these believed and came into the city 
to learn more perfectly the way of life. At last a 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 18 7 

deputation came, begging for a teacher to go and live 
among them. 

"We will provide a chapel/ ' they said, "and a 
preacher's house." In fact, a house had already been 
bought and was now placed at the disposal of the 
Mission. Yi-chun visited this place, Dien-tsi, which 
soon became an important center of aggressive work. 
It is now an active, energetic church. 

One important out-station from T ? ai-chau was 
opened by Mr. Taylor himself, or, perhaps, rather 
was opened at the time of his visit. This was the 
important city of T'ai-p'ing, where from the first the 
work proved promising. One of the new members 
there was called away from home, and before his 
return his wife was taken seriously ill. A native 
doctor had been consulted, and had ordered idol wor- 
ship, which was just in full swing when the husband 
returned. 

"Take these things away/' he said indignantly. 
"Stop the ceremony at once. I will not have such 
folly in my house." 

Curses and abuse were showered upon him, but he 
cared for none of these things. 

"I will pray to the true God, who can and will 
restore my wife." And He did. The impression 
thus produced resulted in no small increase of interest 
in that district. 

Writing comparatively recently of this work in 
Cheh-kiang, Mr. Meadows for many years superin- 
tendent of the province, concludes: 



188 THESE FORTY YEARS. 



Ur\ 



The growth of the converts is most healthy. The 
number and efficiency of our unpaid pastors and 
teachers never increased more rapidly. The progress 
of the schools was never so encouraging, and evan- 
gelistic work never of greater extent in Cheh-kiang 
than it has been this year." 

Three or four days' journey to the north of T'ai- 
chau stands the city of Fung-hua, the first station 
opened from Ning-po in the early sixties. Here, also, 
one of the first native workers was a convert of the 
early days when Mr. Taylor and Mr. Jones were 
associated in the Ning-po work. His name was Fong. 
He, too, with Wang, of Hang-chau, was one of the 
volunteer helpers in the hospital in 1859. Young 
Fong had been a basket maker, and strolled into the 
chapel one day with some companions to hear the 
strange new doctrine. From the first, his interest 
in what he heard could not be hid. 

"You will soon be eating the foreign devils' 
religion," his neighbors warned him, but to no pur- 
pose. Before long he took a bold stand as a believer, 
and at once went to his employer to ask a favor. He 
wanted to be allowed to work so hard that he would 
do seven days' work in six, and then to keep the 
Sabbath. His employer, seeing an advantage, said: 

"Well, yes; but you would lose a day's wages." 

Fong knew this, and also that he would lose a 
day's rice and would have to spend Saturday's wages 
in buying Sunday's food. It meant two-sevenths of 
his wages; but the bargain was made, and kept, for 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 189 

a time. One day the basket maker was sent for by 
some wealthy customers. He waited in the outer hall 
until the ladies, in their shimmering silks and satins, 
came out to see him. They explained what they 
wanted : a kind of basket to hold incense. 

"Fei neng keo" (I cannot), Fong replied, and ex- 
plained that he was now a Christian, and not only did 
not believe in idols, but would have nothing to do 
with their worship. 

The astonishment and curiosity of the ladies were 
considerably aroused, and they listened for a while, 
as the young believer preached with all his heart the 
glad tidings of salvation. 

"Strange infatuation!" they said to themselves, and 
tripped lightly away on their tiny feet. 

An artisan whom Fong had not noticed, a man who 
had been employed in painting the handsome wood- 
work, came forward and said: 

"What was that you were saying to the ladies? I 
heard it, but it was so good I want to hear it all 
again." 

Yery gladly did the basket maker repeat the good, 
glad story, so new to him. The painter's name was 
Wang Lae-djun, and he became an earnest, whole- 
hearted believer from the first. He worked among 
his fellow-countrymen, became a native assistant in 
the hospital, and in course of time was ordained 
pastor of the little Hang-chau church. 

But Fong's trials were not over. When the busy 



190 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

season came around, his master wanted him to work 
Sundays. 

"But we agreed," the man began to reply. 

"Never mind what we agreed. I have a great deal 
of work on hand, and if you will not come to-morrow 
you need not come again at all. You are dis- 
missed." 

This was a heavy blow, but Fong knew whom he 
had believed, and he set to work to serve Him with 
all his heart. After a happy Sunday he tried to ob- 
tain work on Monday morning. But no one would 
have him. He found that his master had gone around 
to the whole "hang" or guild of basket makers, and 
had obtained a promise that if his man applied for 
work on Monday they would decline his services. So 
Fong improved his leisure by preaching in the tea 
shops. An old man listened with marked interest. 
They got into conversation, and finally Fong brought 
him to the "Gospel Hall" to Mr. Taylor. 

"The devil has prevented my getting work to-day 
because I would not work on Sunday, so I have been 
working for Jesus instead, and here is a man I have 
won for Him." And Fong introduced Wang, of 
Ho-si. 

"If I can't get work to-morrow, I shall try to win 
another soul for the Master." But he did get work. 
The first man he applied to was only too glad to 
engage him, for he knew he was dependable and a 
good worker. 

"I promised your old master I would not take you 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 191 

on if you came on Monday, but I said nothing about 
Tuesday!" 

So Fong was back at work. Meanwhile, and for a 
good many days to come, Mr. Taylor was occupied 
with old Wang, of Ho-si. He had a strange tale to 
tell. Some months before, he said, he had been lying 
at the point of death, when a voice called. Too weak 
to walk unaided, he rose from his bed, and steadying 
himself by the walls and furniture, crept around to 
the door and opened it, but there was no one there. 
A little later the same voice called his name, and 
again with difficulty he made his way to the door. 
Still there was no one, and when a third time the 
same call came, he covered his head and trembled, 
thinking it must surely be the angel of death! The 
voice, however, went on quietly to direct him to make 
an infusion of a well-known herb, which would cer- 
tainly cure him. Then he was to go into the city, 
where he would hear a new doctrine which he must 
believe. His people came home and prepared the 
medicine; he speedily recovered, and came into the 
city, cutting grass for a living and selling it where 
he could. Some months passed, and one day, his 
grass sold, he went into a tea shop to rest. Here he 
met Fong, and heard the "new religion," which he 
was convinced was the one he had been told to be- 
lieve. 

"Wang became an earnest and most indefatigable 
evangelist in his own district of Ho-si, where a bright 
little church sprang up, an out-station of Fung-hua. 



192 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Within a radius of ten miles from that old farmer's 
home, Mr. Taylor tells, there was scarcely an adult 
who had not heard the Gospel from his lips! 

At ISTing-hai, another Fung-hua out-station, Mr. 
and Mrs. Crombie were greatly encouraged by the 
steady growth of the church, and by the keen in- 
terest the Christians took in the work of Grod else- 
where. On one occasion, when Mr. Taylor was visit- 
ing the district, they made many inquiries about the 
work at other stations, about which they were evi- 
dently well informed, and then said: 

"How are Mr. Mu and Mr. Sang getting on? Have 
you any recent news of them?" 

"Who can Mr. Mu and Mr. Sang be?" thought Mr. 
Taylor. "We have no workers of those names." 

But they had heard something of Moody and 
Sankey, and were delighted to hear the further news 
Mr. Taylor gave them. 

"Ah," said one, "the opium traffic will soon be 
stopped if so many people are being converted in 
England." 

Would to Grod that there were more prospect of 
that hope being realized. 

www w w w w 

The establishment of a new center at Wu-ch'ang, 
to be the basis of a forward movement into the more 
remote interior, is the more remarkable, from the 
fact that this was a time of exceptional difficulty in 
the matter of funds. 

It required the utmost economy to carry on the 



THE NEXT SIX YEAES. 193 

work and keep expenses down to five hundred dollars 
a week, for, including native helpers, there were 
more than a hundred workers, besides missionaries ' 
children, and the children in the schools another 
seventy. There were fifty houses to keep in repair, 
and rent to pay for most. There were the expenses 
of traveling between the stations and of evangelistic 
tours, besides the inevitable and costly furlough for 
invalid workers. 

As a matter of fact, the first half of this year, 
1874, was probably one of as great difficulty in this 
respect as has ever come to the Mission. It may be 
an encouragement to faith to give some details. Dur- 
ing the first three months of the year, instead of the 
income averaging five hundred dollars a week, it was 
only about half that sum; but, happily, though funds 
had been low the previous year also, as we have 
already seen, there had been a little improvement 
toward the close, which left small balances on hand 
at most of the stations. But for this, the workers 
could not possibly have managed. But this also was 
of the Lord's arranging. At the end of the first 
quarter, naturally, funds were low at all the stations, 
and the balances in hand on January 1st were re- 
duced to near the vanishing point. On the first of 
April there were but twenty-five dollars in the gen- 
eral exchequer. On the 7th of April Mr. Taylor 
reached Shanghai from a journey, hoping to find 
considerable remittances from home. 

It may be mentioned that at this time the return 

13 



194 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

to England of Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson and their 
family was an imperative necessity. Mrs. Steven- 
son's life depended upon it; but there were no funds 
available. Several of the workers united in prayer, 
and gifts began to come in one after another from 
various members of the Mission. One sent a hundred 
dollars; another, a little later, two hundred; a third, 
two hundred and twenty; three sent ten dollars, and 
another fifty. Other small gifts provided for the 
necessary expenditure by the way, and thus, with an 
empty exchequer, this grave need was met. 

Letters to the home council are, of course, very 
rarely published, but part of a letter from Mr. Taylor 
will give, better than anything else, perhaps, an in- 
sight into the affairs of the Mission. 

"After proving God's faithfulness for many years, 
I can testify that times of want have ever been times 
of special blessing, or have led to them. JSTever has 
the work entailed more real trial, or so much exercise 
of faith, as recently. The sickness of our beloved 
sister, Miss Blatchley, the needs of my dear children, 
the state of our Mission funds, the changes required 
to allow of some going home, of others coming out, 
and of the further extension of the work, and many 
other things not easily expressed in writing, would 
be crushing anxieties if we were to bear them. But 
the Lord bears us, and them too, and makes our 
hearts so very glad in Himself alone — not in Him- 
self plus a bank balance — that I have never known 
greater freedom from anxiety and care. 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 195 

"The other week, when I reached Shanghai (on 
April 7th), we were in great and immediate need . . . 
I cast the burden on the Lord. Next morning, when 
awaking, He gave me the word — "I know their sor- 
rows, and I am come down to deliver them," and 
before 6 A. M. I was as sure that help was at hand 
as when, at noon, I received a letter containing more 
than £300. Now our need is again great and urgent, 
but God is greater and more near, and all will be 
well. Oh! the joy of knowing the living God! I 
am but His agent." 

In various ways "the most urgent necessities of 
May were met, leaving us all the promises of God 
to meet the expenses of June, and nothing else be- 
sides. 

"I asked urgent prayer of some of the brethren 
for £500 to cover the manifest and unavoidable out- 
lay of that month. Perhaps never in the history of 
the Mission have we all been so low together. 

"From the Hon. Secretaries at home I received 
during the month a sum of over £500, and in China, 
in ways I cannot now detail, $290.75 besides." 

During this time of financial difficulty Mr. Taylor's 
heart was often cheered by hearty and encouraging 
words from his fellow-missionaries, which it would 
take too long to quote in detail. 

One brief letter, acknowledging a remittance re- 
ceived on the 16th of June, says: "My last cash was 
spent yesterday morning, and I was waiting on our 
Heavenly Father to-day for money." 



196 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Another acknowledgment adds, "For the first time 
I was unable to send for the usual supply of rice for 
my school children, but neither they nor we have 
lacked one single meal." 

From another station word was received that on 
June 12th, when the remittance came, they had not a 
single dollar left. "How gracious of the Lord," they 
added, "to hear our united cry!" 

* # * * * * * 

All this was severe testing, of course, but God 
makes no mistakes. A still more serious difficulty 
presented itself just at this time in the serious illness 
of Miss Blatchley. 

From the fall of 1872, when Mr. Taylor left for 
China, till the early summer of 1874, she had been 
practical factotum for the Mission at home. It is 
difficult now to realize how important her life had 
become to the Mission. In those earlier days there 
were no clerks, no office, no editorial secretary. 
Tso one but Miss Blatchley. And she was just the 
one. Talented, spiritual, deeply consecrated, and full 
of love to the Lord and to His service, Miss Blatchley 
seemed indispensable to the work, and now she was 
seriously and increasingly prostrated. 

There was no one to fill the gap, so Mr. Taylor 
himself hurriedly returned from China. As long as 
possible Miss Blatchley worked on, carrying the 
heavy correspondence, receiving and acknowledging 
donations, welcoming and encouraging candidates, 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 197 

editing the "Occasional Paper," addressing wrappers 
and sending it out — all those thousand and one things 
that devolve upon the home department of a Mission. 

The writer and his brothers and sister will never 
forget the debt which they, personally, owe to this 
kind friend, who had mothered them during the long 
absence of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor in China, in addition 
to all her other duties. It was with great satisfaction 
that she looked forward to the speedy return of Mr. 
and Mrs. Taylor. 

"They will be here in a few weeks," she said, and 
thanked God. 

But before they could arrive, on the 25th of July, 
Miss Blatchley received her home call, and was wel- 
comed to her reward by the Master she loved and 
served so well. 

The friends of the Mission at home, and especially 
the council and secretaries, who had done all they 
could to lighten Miss Blatchley's load, very gladly 
welcomed home Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Taylor. But 
trouble came upon trouble. Mr. Taylor himself had 
had a serious fall on a Yang-tse river steamer shortly 
before leaving China, and the symptoms of concus- 
sion of the spine developed, as they frequently do, 
more markedly as the months went by. Braced up, 
as usual, by the voyage, Mr. Taylor was able to hold 
en for a few weeks, but the many responsibilities at 
home did not facilitate recuperation, and before long 
we find him a complete invalid, partially paralyzed, 
and wholly unable to leave his couch. What would 



198 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

become of the Mission now? Funds had long been 
low, the devoted Miss Blatchley was gone, and now 
Mr. Taylor himself was a helpless invalid, unable 
even to put pen to paper! 

Ten or twenty letters would come daily, and all 
ihe varied responsibilities of the home branch of the 
work. About this time Mrs. Taylor also was laid 
aside for awhile. Things looked black, indeed, for 
the China Inland Mission. 

But are not such crises the very times when the 
Lord delights to cheer His servants by gracious and 
refreshing answers to prayer? 

A friend would call on Mr. Taylor. "Can I help 
you by writing an hour or two this morning?" he 
would ask. 

"Yes, indeed," was the grateful reply. "See what 
a number of letters have come in!" 

If this kind friend could not stay long enough to 
finish, some one else would be sure to call in later 
in the day. 

"One of the happiest times of my life," Mr. Hud- 
son Taylor wrote later, "was that period of enforced 
inactivity, when I could do nothing but rejoice in the 
Lord and wait patiently on Him, and see Him every 
day meeting all our needs; and never, before or 
since that time, was my correspondence so well kept 
in hand and answered up to date." 

God had surely a purpose in thus caring for the 
needs of the little Mission. Two hundred millions 
in inland China were still beyond the reach of the 



/ SH1HGK/MC, 

SHINQKINQ 

•MU- OfKA/6 




FORMOSA 






"THE NINE STILL UNOCCUPIED PROVINCES. 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 199 

Gospel. He had much work yet for the China Inland 
Mission to do. 

And so, as the months flew by, not only correspon- 
dence was answered in Mr. Taylor's room, important 
consultations took place, and prayer meetings were 
held. And, equally important, Mr. Taylor himself 
had time those long nights to ponder and pray over 
China's needs. The outcome was that, toward the 
end of the year, it was urgently laid on his heart 
that the Mission, short of funds though it had been, 
and deeply tried in other ways, ought to go definitely 
forward. A short article was prepared, and published 
in several of the leading religious papers, asking 
prayer that eighteen young men should be raised up 
to go, two and two, into the nine still unoccupied 
provinces of China. 

A bold request, indeed! Even if they were given, 
would they be able to go inland? But this and many 
other questions were answered by remembering the 
command of the Master to give the Gospel to every 
creature in everv land. 

"I have the fullest hope," wrote Mr. Hudson 
Taylor about this time, "that God will enable us 
during this new year, 1 875, to commence work in at 
least two or three of these unoccupied provinces, 

"The difficulties, it is true, can scarcely be exag- 
gerated, but 'the people that do know their God shall 
be strong and do exploits.' Will not our friends join 
us in asking for such men, and such only, as do know 
their God, to go to these teeming millions?" 



200 ' THESE FORTY YEARS. 

This hope and prayer, with which the old year 
euded, was remarkably fulfilled in 1875. In the 
spring of the year J. W. Stevenson and Henry 
Soltau volunteered for, and went to work in, the far 
west, on the Burmese frontier. The former had for 
years been thinking and praying about this step and 
the possibility of reaching the people of western 
China by the shorter and easier route through Bnr- 
mah. 

About a month later Henry Taylor and Chang, a 
native Christian, started out on a first visit to Ho-nan, 
the central province in the northern half of China. 
And in the early summer Mr. Judd left Wu-ch'ang 
for a pioneer journey into Hu-nan, immediately 
southwest; and thus, for the first time, the Gospel 
was taken to these two most bitterly anti-foreign 
provinces in China. 

A few details about these three journeys — to Bur- 
mah, to Ho-nan and to Hu-nan — will not be without 
interest. 

Stevenson and Soltau started for Burmah about 
March, 1875. On their arrival they found it im- 
possible to proceed to Bhamo, on the Chinese fron- 
tier, their prospective destination. At that time 
upper Burmah was still an independent kingdom, 
under the sway of a despotic Prince, whose relations 
with the Indian government were anything but 
friendly. 

They at once entered upon work, however, among 
both Chinese and Burmese, at Rangoon and Moul- 



THE NEXT SIX TEAKS. 201 

mein, as well as holding evangelistic meetings for 
the English-speaking residents. And in the fall the 
way opened for them to go on to Mandalay, the cap- 
ital of upper Burmah, where they hoped to obtain an 
audience with the King. An experienced missionary, 
Mr. Rose, of the Baptist Board, kindly accompanied 
them, and on their arrival at the capital a petition in 
Burmese, expressing their purpose and desires, was 
handed in, to be presented to his Majesty. Their 
prayers on the journey up the Irrawaddy were an- 
swered, and they were granted an audience with- 
out delay. On their arrival at the palace they were 
conducted to the council chamber, a lofty wooden 
room with a handsome painted roof. Nearly the 
whole length of one side of the room was a raised 
platform, covered by a handsome Brussels carpet. 
In the center of this was a crimson velvet rug, beau- 
tifully embroidered, a crimson cushion and a pair of 
elegant binoculars. 

"We crouched upon the floor some distance from 
the platform. Near us were a dozen or more 
men with swords, laid in gilded sheaths, on the 
floor." 

Before long the King "entered the room by a mas- 
sive carved and gilded door, walked to the center of 
the platform, and lay down on the velvet rug, resting 
his arm on the crimson cushion. His attendants came 
in by the side door, and prostrated themselves. " So 
did the ministers. 

"T\ T e could not have been more than eighteen or 



202 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

twenty feet from him, but lie took up his binoculars 
and leisurely surveyed us for some time." 

After a short conversation he made us all promise 
that we would write to our different countries, and 
ask that a teacher might be sent to live in Mandalay, 
undertaking himself to support him and give him 
house and schools. 

"Up there in Bhamo, among those wild people, it 
is unsafe. They are not to be trusted, but if things 
are unfavorable, come back, and I will receive you." 

"Will you graciously grant us some land at 
Bhamo?" 

"Yes, the ministers shall arrange all that for you." 

"To our surprise, three handsome little betel boxes 
and three Burmese bags, containing one hundred 
rupees each, were brought on wooden trays and laid 
before us. We thanked the King for these presents, 
and said how unlooked for was this kindness. He 
seemed pleased by our surprise and gratification. 
'"When you go among those wild people, act with 
caution and prudence, 7 he said, as he rose to leave." 

The next day an official document was handed 
them, containing instructions to the governor of 
Bhamo that they were to be permitted to have any 
site they pleased for their mission work. And so, 
rejoicingly, they went on their way. 

The governor proved troublesome, and instead of 
the land selected, gave them an unhealthy and in- 
convenient site. There was nothing to be done, how- 
ever; so they made it a matter of earnest prayer that 






THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 203 

the Lord would either change the governor's heart, 
or at least prevent him from hindering the work. 
About this time he was suddenly removed from office, 
and his successor proved most friendly, and gave the 
land they had selected. 

In addition to their evangelistic work, the two mis- 
sionaries did what they could, medically, to relieve 
the sufferings of the people. Serious epidemics of 
"fever, small-pox and measles" carried off hundreds. 
Though neither was a physician, the fame of their 
medical work spread so rapidly that before long they 
not only had friends among the Burmese and Chinese 
residents, but also among the wild hill tribes, the 
Shans and Kah-chens of the border country, and even 
further over, into the Chinese province of Yun-nan 
itself. 

Yery gladly they welcomed reinforcements at the 
beginning of 1876, the more so that one of them, 
Dr. Harvey, was a medical man. In the fall of this 
year one of the hill chieftains sent an urgent letter 
to the missionaries, requesting them to visit a sick 
relative. He sent a pony and an escort of servants, 
and made grateful reference to kindness that he him- 
self had received at Bhamo some time before. Won- 
dering whether at last the opportunity had come to 
enter the needy province of Yun-nan, preparations 
were speedily made for the journey. Just as they 
were about to start, alas, the British consul wrote 
that he had strict orders not to permit their leaving 
the city. 



20 4: THESE FORTY YEARS. 

"The circumstances are peculiar, however," he 
added. "You are specially invited, and are going to 
take medicine and visit a sick person. If, therefore, 
you will give me a written document, signed, guar- 
anteeing that you will not cross over into China, I 
will allow you to go." 

We can easily imagine their disappointment. 
"Though we have been thus hindered, the Word of 
the Lord is not bound; and, thank God, an entrance 
to Yun-nan has been made by means of the printed 
page. Chinamen from the east come to Bhamo in 
crowds, and they have freely taken back the Scrip- 
tures." 

Six weeks were spent in the mountaineer's home, 
and they were everywhere treated with great hospi- 
tality and kindness. Indeed, the people begged them 
to remain for good and teach them the Gospel. But 
they could not stay. It was very tantalizing to be 
so near to China. A descent of two or three hours 
would have brought them to Yun-nan. From where 
they stood one day, they looked out over "the noble 
plain of Long-ch'uan, studded with trees and well 
watered," but their way was barred. 

A month after these pioneers had left for Burmah, 
in April, 1875, Henry Taylor and his companion, 
Chang, started from Han-kow northward on the first 
missionary tour in Ho-nan. They visited a number 
of important towns and cities, and met with not a few 
who seemed truly interested, especially at Ru-ning 
Fu were they cordially received. They put up at an 



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THE WEXT SIX TEARS. 205 

inn outside the gates of the city, and among those 
who repeatedly visited the missionaries were four, 
of whose conversion they had good hope, especially 
an old vegetarian, who had been seeking for years 
such truth as they had preached, which satisfied, he 
said, the deep longings of his soul. 

Pointing to his idols, the old man said: "These I 
have held to and worshipped because I had nothing 
better. Now I have found Jesus, and I let them go. 
This doctrine I know to be a true one. My conscience 
tells me it is." 

Yery glad, indeed, he was to hear that the mis- 
sionaries hoped to return in the fall. 

"Do come and open a house in our city," he urged. 
There are many here who, like me, are seeking the 
true light." 

When the missionaries returned, in the autumn, 
old Hu was gone. He was with the Saviour he had 
welcomed so eagerly. How thankful the missionaries 
were they had come when they did! 

Of the four about whom they had been hopeful, 
in the spring, one had gone elsewhere; two, Mu and 
T'ang, remained, and there seemed no doubt of their 
conversion. They wished to be baptized, but Henry 
Taylor, expecting soon to come again, thought it 
wiser for them to wait and learn more before being 
received into the church. 

On this journey they made some stay at Chau- 
kia-k'eo (Jo-ja-ko), which is now the principal station 
in the province, but then had never heard the Gospel. 



206 THESE FOETY YEAES. 

This being the most populous center between Han- 
kow and Pekin, they stayed for eight days before 
going further north to the provincial capital, K'ai- 
fung. The capital was then, as now, strongly anti- 
foreign, owing to serious trouble with the Roman 
Catholics some years before. This city of K'ai-fung 
has a special interest from being the home of a little 
colony of about a hundred and fifty Jews, who have 
lived there for centuries, and who had been visited 
two years before by three Europeans from Pekin. 
The visitors had been obliged to beat a hasty retreat, 
and even the inn where they had stayed was razed 
to the ground. 

From here they journeyed west to Hcnnan Fu, 
passing over rough, poor country infested with 
robbers, but by God's protection they were kept in 
peace. (Of course, like all other members of the 
China Inland Mission, they traveled without arms.) 

In the spring of the following year, Henry Taylor 
made a third visit to Ho-nan, this time accompanied 
by George Clarke. At Ru-ning they were joyfully 
we] corned by the inquirers Mu and T'ang, whom, in 
a stream outside the city, they now baptized, the first 
in this populous province. They had both been work- 
ing among their neighbors, and about thirty showed 
an interest in the Gospel. On this visit they suc- 
ceeded, as they thought, in opening a station, renting 
premises in a city about fifteen miles from Ru-ning. 
Eut they were not able to stay, for after six happy 
weeks, in which all went well, the scholars stirred up 



THE NEXT SIX YEARS. 207 

trouble, a riot ensued, and the missionaries had to 
leave. 

The third pioneer visitation of 1875 was shorter — 
that of Mr. Judd to Hu-nan. He and two native 
Christians hired a boat and left Wu-ch'ang in the 
early summer. After nine days' journey up the river 
they reached Yoh-chau, the chief port of Hu-nan. 
With great thanksgiving to God they commenced 
work in this place. Mr. Judd, being dark, was not 
readily distinguished as a foreigner. They rented, 
without difficulty, a little house, and preached the 
Gospel in different parts of the city, which overlooks 
the vast expanse of the T'ong-t'ing lake to its south 
and west. But, as so often in pioneer work, all went 
well at first; but no sooner had premises been ob- 
tained, and settled work commenced, than the ruling 
classes began to stir up mischief. Matters went from 
bad to worse, till, very reluctantly, under the escort 
of a war junk, Mr. Judd and his companions left the 
city and returned to Wu-ch'ang. 

Just about the time of this first visit to Hu-nan, an 
important step was taken at Mr. Taylor's suggestion. 
Up to this time, all information about the work had 
been published in an "Occasional Paper/' which 
came out about quarterly. Now, beginning with 
July, 1875, the plain little octavo was replaced by an 
illustrated monthly, China's Millions, with which 
most of the friends of the Mission are now familiar. 

Thus, In 1875, were the prayers that went up from 



208 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

that sick-room in December, 1874, fully and gra- 
ciously answered. Moreover, sixteen of the eighteen 
missionaries prayed for were given before the close 
of 1875, and five others followed in the spring of 
1876, making twenty-one in all. 

Thus ended the first decade of the China Inland 
Mission. 

In May, 1876, on the anniversary of the sailing 
of the "Lammermuir," the first annual meeting was 
held at the Mildmay Conference Hall. A large 
audience joined in thanking God for what had been 
accomplished, and in prayer for greater things in 
the future. 

Only ten years earlier there were but a hundred 
missionaries in China altogether; eleven provinces 
were entirely without the Truth, and in Cheh-kiang 
and Kiang-su, in which the young Mission was to 
commence its work, there were only two stations in 
the one, Ning-po and Hang-chau, and one, Shanghai, 
in the other. !STow there were settled stations in five 
provinces, two cf which were among the unoccupied 
eleven; sixty missionaries and missionaries' wives 
were out in China in the China Inland Mission alone, 
working in fifty-two stations and out-stations. And 
already the work had been commenced in two of the 
remoter provinces, in Ho-nan and Hu-nan, the 
hardest provinces in China, as well as on the borders 
of Yun-nan, in the far southwest. 

A quarter of a million dollars had been contrib- 
uted, mostly in small sums, and another eighteen 



THE STEXT SIX TEAKS. 209 

thousand dollars was on hand, waiting to be used in 
new work in the western provinces. 

Little wonder that it was an enthusiastic anniver- 
sary ! And no wonder, as they sought to picture the 
hundreds of millions of perishing souls, many of 
them so willing to welcome the Gospel; no wonder 
that a feeling of deep solemnity hushed the audience, 
and that mighty and earnest prayers went up for the 
future, especially for the opening of the West. 

We shall see how blessedly those prayers pre- 
vailed. 

14 



CHAPTER X. 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 

Now that the petition for eighteen workers was 
answered, and more than answered; now that so 
mnch prayer was going up steadily for the opening 
of western China, Mr. Taylor felt convinced that the 
time had come for the pioneers to go inland. With 
this conviction he returned to China, to bid them 
God-speed and encourage their hearts as they started. 
His steamer calling, as usual, at Hong-kong, Mr. 
Taylor went ashore, and we can understand the eager- 
ness with which he inquired: "What are the prospects 
of our workers going in V 9 

"The prospects were never darker/' was the reply. 
A British official had been murdered, with official 
connivance at least, in the west of China, near Bur- 
mah, and negotiations had dragged out their weary 
length for eighteen months. And they had failed. 
Sir Thomas Wade had left Pekin, and war seemed in- 
evitable. "But prayer," wrote Mr. Taylor, "had not 
failed." 

God had given the eighteen missionaries — just the 
very men for the work. They were now all in China, 
had learned the language, and were ready to go for- 
ward. What could be the meaning of it all ? Very 
earnestly Mr. Taylor waited on God, during the three 

210 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 211 

remaining days of the voyage, that He would do 

what seemed impossible, and open the gates of the 

West. And while His servant was praying, God was 

working out the answer. 

On arrival in Shanghai, what was his joy to learn 

that China's most capable statesman, Li Hung-chang, 

had been sent to negotiate with Sir Thomas Wade; 

they had met at Chefoo, and had come to terms ! 

Never was a more memorable treaty concluded with 

China than the "Chefoo Convention," one clause of 

which was that foreigners were to be permitted to 

travel freely in every part of the empire, and that 

proclamations to that effect were to be posted in 

every one of the thousand and more governing cities. 

Thus, to God's glory, fast-closed inland China was 

opened at last! 

******* 

Before the treaty was signed, on September 13th, 
two of the pioneers were already on the way to the 
far northwest. Frederick Bailer and George King 
started at the close of the long, hot summer, in the 
month of August, for the province of Shen-si (at the 
capital of which, Si-an, the Dowager Empress and 
the unhappy Emperor of China held their court dur- 
ing the recent occupation of Pekin by foreign forces). 
A native of Shen-si, whom they met at Han-kow in 
Dr. Griffith John's church, told them there was a 
good water-way as far as Fan-ch'eng (440 miles up 
the Han river), and from thence two or three much- 
traveled roads to Si-an. So a small house-boat was 



212 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

hired, and the missionaries departed, commended to 
God for the work. 

A fortnight's jonrnej, sailing or tracking, brought 
them to Fan-ch'eng : and at this busy port, and at the 
important city on the opposite side of the river, the 
Gospel was preached for the first time. But they 
could only stay three days. From here they hired 
another boat to Hsing-an Fu, the first prefecture in 
Shen-si. But this stage of the journey proved trou- 
blesome and expensive ; for, being autumn, it was the 
time of the yearly examinations ; many students were 
traveling, and the native authorities deemed it neces- 
sary to give them an escort, which proved an ex- 
pensive luxury. The city of Hsing-an was another 
four hundred miles northwest. 

It was not only a troublesome journey, but dan- 
gerous, also, for the river here flows swiftly among 
glorious mountains, with every here and there a 
rapid, over which boats have to be laboriously towed 
by gangs of men. At Yun-yang Fu, the last prefec- 
ture in Hu-peh (of which province Wu-ch'ang is the 
capital and Han-kow the commercial center), the mis- 
sionaries were much encouraged. They not only ob- 
tained a very favorable and friendly hearing, but 
were also able to sell a large number of books. Four 
soldiers were sent by the local mandarin to protect 
them, and to explain to the people that the foreigners 
were there not to cut off people's pigtails, but to sell 
foreign books! Three days further, and they arrived 
in Shen-si. 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAB INTEEIOR. 213 

The first Sunday in this province was spent in a 
quiet county town, where considerable audiences 
heard the Gospel message. A week later, Sunday 
was spent at Hsing-an itself, where large gatherings 
heard the Glad Tidings for the first time for many 
centuries. "As I pointed out the superiority," wrote 
Mr. Bailer, "of the living Christ over sages long since 
passed away, the thought seemed to strike them as 
new and strange." 

Encouraging as was their reception, they were 
obliged to cut short their visit to Shen-si; for funds 
were running low on account of the unforeseen ex- 
penses of the journey. Gladly were they welcomed 
back with the good news they brought, and very 
thankfully they now heard of the signing of the Che- 
f oo Convention, which opened fully the vast interior 

to the Gospel. 

******* 

First among the pioneers to start after the signing 
of the treaty were the brethren James and Turner, 
who were commended to God at Chin-kiang, in 
October, 1876, to go north on a visit to Shan-si, so 
sadly notable since as the arena of the sufferings 
and martyrdoms of 1900. 

As far as JSTankin the missionaries traveled by river 
and then overland, across populous An-huei, in which 
many traces of the T'ai-p'ing rebels were still appar- 
ent. Up to this time the two brethren at Gan-king 
were still the only settled workers in this province. 
After a fortnight's journey, their hearts were dis- 



214 THESE EOBTY YEARS. 

tressed in the north of the province at "the hundreds 
of people, all miserably clad and looking starved and 
wretched, proceeding south because of the scarcity 
of food." For the great famine of 1877 to 1879 was 
already commencing in North China, though the 
worst was not yet. 

From Poh-chau, an important commercial center 
in the north of the province, they traveled on two 
hundred miles by cart, and any one who has never 
traveled by a Chinese cart cannot imagine what this 
means ! Heavy, springless vehicles, with two mas- 
sive hob-nailed wheels, these mule carts rumble 
laboriously over unmade and unkept roads. They 
are found in most parts of North China, and will 
cover, it is true, twenty or even thirty miles a day 
if the weather is good; but the uninitiated suffer! 
The passenger, slung about, as first one wheel and 
then the other drops into a rut, holds on for dear life, 
to avoid serious injury. Indeed, when Mrs. Bird 
Bishop, the traveler, took her first journey in a 
"Pekin cart" she arrived at the end of the first day 
with a fractured collar-bone ! James and Turner 
were being initiated. 

They now came to the province of Ho-nan, and 
crossed the Yellow river, not far from K'ai-fung, the 
capital; but it was a month's journey altogether be- 
fore they arrived in Shan-si. They were the first 
missionaries to enter the province; and remained for 
several weeks, itinerating among the cities of the 
southern prefectures. They were greatly encour- 




MR. ROBERT POWELL TRAVELLING BY BARROW IN HONAN. 










MULE CARTS AND ESCORT, IN TROUBLOUS TIMES. 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR IOTERIOK. 215 

aged by their reception, gained valuable information 
about the province and its needs, preached to inter- 
ested audiences, and had good sales for their books. 
Their last Sunday was spent at P'ing-yang Fu, equally 
important as a governing and commercial center, and 
then, their funds running low, they made their way 
southward across mountainous western Ho-nan — a 
cold, barren route to take in winter ! On Christmas 
day they entered Hu-peh, on their way to Fan-ch'eng. 
From there they took boat down to Han-kow, arriv- 
ing early in January, 1877. They had traveled 
seventeen hundred miles through four provinces since 
they started. 

W w Tf w 7T W W 

The same month that these brethren started for 
Shan-si, Messrs. Easton and Parker set out on the 
long journey to Kan-suh, in the far northwest. For 
two-thirds of their journey they were accompanied 
by Messrs. King and Budd, who were to pay a second 
visit to Shen-si. And before the end of the year 
two other couples were well on the way to the west 
and southwest — to the provinces of Si-ch'uan and 
Kuei-chau. 

The four travelers to Shen-si and Kan-suh started, 
as usual, up the Han river by boat, keeping to the 
river as far as Lao-ho-k'eo, a city some two 6r three 
days beyond Fan-ch'eng. Here they took to the 
road, and for another fortnight traveled in a north- 
westerly direction over rough, mountainous roads, 
through sparsely peopled country, to Si-an, the 



210 



THESE FORTY YEARS. 



Slien-si capital. Here they were glad to rest for 
awhile, commencing, however, their evangelistic 
work at once. This city, one of the best built and 
best preserved in China, is beautifully situated on the 
banks of the Wei, one of the major tributaries of the 
Yellow river. It stands near the center of a populous 
plain, then very fertile and nourishing, but now 
almost covered with opium and sadly impoverished. 
This was to be the sphere of King and Budd for the 
present: while Easton and Parker started westward 
on their further journey to Kan-suh. 

"We have resolved/' wrote Mr. King at this time, 
"to make our journey a season of special waiting on 
the Lord, for more likeness to Himself, more prac- 
tical holiness, and more brotherly love." On the last 
Sunday before they separated they went out into the 
country, and on a quiet mountain-side overlooking 
the fertile plain, read together Spurgeon's sermon, 
"Predestined to be Conformed to the Image of His 
Son." "Blessed hope," Mr. Easton writes. "I pray 
that we may indeed be conformed to Him in holiness 
and zeal. . . . May we, too, be about our Father's 
business, and eventually see much blessing amongst 
these cities." 

More than twenty years have passed, and Mr. 
Easton still continues at work in the northwest. Hun- 
dreds of souls have been gathered in, and many 
churches have been founded where then there was 
not a single believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Snow 
was on the ground when Easton and Parker started 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAE INTERIOR. 217 

for Kan-suh. They had a good time at the first city 
they reached, both preaching and selling books. But 
a Mohammedan happened to buy a small tract on 
"The Prodigal Son." Before long, however, it was 
returned. "I am a follower of the Prophet. I do not 
want a picture with pigs in it !" 

City after city they passed, meeting with a very 
friendly reception. Over the high Lung range of 
mountains and across the wide alluvial plain they 
journeyed until they came to Lan-chau, the provin- 
cial capital, on the banks of the Yellow river. Here 
they were thankful to find comfortable inns, and re- 
ceived numbers of visitors, as well as obtaining good 
sales for their books. The Catholics were well estab- 
lished here, hut no Protestant had ever before vis- 
ited Kan-suh ! From the capital the travelers turned 
southward, visiting, among other places, the impor- 
tant city of Ts'in-chau, in which the principal church 
in this difficult province is to be found to-day. They 
now turned their faces eastward, and, reentering 
Shen-si, took the road to Han-chong, the principal 
commercial center of the province. In this city and 
district there have since been, thank God, over Hve 
hundred men and women admitted to the Church. 
From here they rapidly descended the river, and 
were soon back at Han-kow and Chin-kiang. Here 
they met King and Budd, who, after weeks of itiner- 
ation in the more important cities on the Si-an plain, 
had arrived a few days before them. 



218 THESE FOBTY YEARS. 

The next missionaries to travel to the far interior 
were Nicoll and Cameron, who went up the river at 
the close of 1876 as far as I-chang, on their way to 
the central western province of Si-ch'uan. 

During the last days of the old year two other 
pioneers, Messrs. Judd and Broumton, went up river 
to Wu-ch'ang, and on January 2nd, 1877, they set out 
for needy Kuei-chau in the southwest, a province 
with abundant mineral wealth and also, sad to say, 
with large crops of opium, through which its inhab- 
itants were even then being rapidly demoralized. It 
was cold work traveling up river that January in 
draughty house-boats, but this is among the least of 
the troubles of a pioneer missionary in China, and 
was easy to put up with! A week on the Yang-tse 
brought them to Yoh-chau, at the mouth of the 
largest lake in China, the T'ong-t'ing; this they then 
crossed, a distance of seventy miles, to the mouth of 
the Yuen river, up which they continued their jour- 
ney steadily onward across northern Hu-nan for 
three long, icy weeks. 

Notorious as the Hu-nanese are for their hostility 
to foreigners, these early travelers in native dress 
met with quite a friendly reception, being cared for 
by the officials and receiving an attentive hearing 
from the people. 

Much of the kindness shown to these missionary 
pioneers was doubtless due to the Chefoo Convention. 
Again and again when the missionaries arrived in 
some remote city,, they were welcomed by the officials 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 219 

and not infrequently detained to lunch, while the 
Yamen employes were busy all over the city posting 
up the belated proclamations, lest the foreigners 
should report to the proper authorities their neglect 
to publish them ! Not so, however, in Hu-nan. "The 
people are so anti-foreign here," the officials ex- 
plained, "it would not be wise or safe to put up these 
proclamations/' and nowhere in Hu-nan were they to 
be found. 

A beautiful river it was up which they traveled, 
and the boatmen were deeply interested in the story 
of the Crucifixion. One old lady they met received 
very gladly the strange new Gospel message. "It is 
really very kind of you to come so far," she ex- 
claimed, "to tell these good things. Our people do 
not know. They go continually to the temples, burn 
incense and give rice and presents to the gods, and 
in the end what becomes of it all?" 

They were a superstitious people also, which often 
indicates a natural craving, unsatisfied and hence dis- 
torted, for religious light. Strong, resolute, deter- 
mined, it may be that the Hu-nanese will yet make 
some of the noblest Christians in China. 

Early in February, Judd and Broumton reached 
the borders of Kuei-chau. Here at the head of navi- 
gation they left the river, hired sedan chairs, and 
commenced a twelve days' journey over lonely moun- 
tain roads to the capital. As is usual in China, the 
mountainous regions were sparsely populated, and 
frequently they put up at night at a lonely cottage 



220 THESE FORTY YEAES. 

by the wayside. At one of these their host, a hardy 
mountaineer, showed deep interest in the message he 
heard from their lips. "He became deeply inter- 
ested in the Gospel," wrote Mr. Jndd. "I trust we 
may meet him in glory." 

After a week of this overland travel the mission- 
aries arrived at Chen-yuen, a notoriously anti-for- 
eign city. Three years before, at this city, Mr. Mar- 
gary (the British official who was murdered near the 
Burman border) met with serious difficulty. His 
boat was dragged ashore and burned by the people! 

It may be interesting to mention in this connection 
that Mr. Margary's bereaved mother and other rela- 
tives prayed that his death might result in the open- 
ing up of western China to the Gospel. And so it 
did. For it was the negotiations at Pekin about this 
murder that ended in the signing of the treaty of 
Chef oo ! 

Judd and Broumton waited on God very earnestly 
as they drew near to this place. Their passports were 
examined on their arrival; but, while the people 
seemed surprised to see the foreigners, there were no 
signs whatever of unfriendly feeling. Much of the 
route they had to travel had been desolated by a 
recent rebellion of the Miao-tse, a tribe of aborigines, 
who have no idols and who have since shown a re- 
markable readiness to receive the Gospel. Fine, 
sturdy, independent hill tribesmen they are ! 

About the middle of February they climbed the 
last steep pass, and a magnificent view rewarded 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 221 

them. The sun was shining on the fair plain, which 
stretched out before them — away to the distant moun- 
tains ; and the city of Kuei-yang itself was right be- 
fore them, with its temples, its towers and its luxuri- 
ant trees. In this city they met a remarkable man, 
one of the most interesting men in China, "General" 
Mesney. An enterprising traveler, he had given val- 
uable help to the government of the province in sup- 
pressing the recent rebellion (just referred to), and 
was rewarded for his services by being raised to offi- 
cial rank and receiving considerable gifts of property. 
He was quite delighted to see the foreigners, and very 
cordially welcomed them to his home. For ten days 
they were his guests, meeting with considerable num- 
bers of the local mandarins, who were thus brought 
within sound of the Grospel. But for Mr. Mesney's 
help, the missionaries might have been unable to ob- 
tain a house, for trade was good and premises were 
scarce. Happily, he himself had a house, which he 
kindly placed at their disposal. Here Mr. Broumton 
remained, the solitary Christian worker among four 
or five millions of people in that province, while Mr. 
Judd, after a short rest, or rather change of labor, 
returned to his own station, Wu-ch'ang. Prevented 
from returning by Hu-nan, he turned his steps north- 
ward to Chung-king, the commercial metropolis of 
Si-ch'uan. Here again, as at Kuei-chau, the Roman 
Catholics were established in force : but no Protestant 
missionaries had ever resided in either province! 
From here, going down river toward I-chang, the 



222 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

missionary was in double danger from the rapids and 
from pirates, by whom he was taken prisoner and for 
some hours was in jeopardy of his life; but in answer 
to prayer he was set free. 

At I-chang Mr. Judd hoped to find Messrs. Cam- 
eron and ISTicoll; but alas! their house was in ruins 
and the workers had gone. Like many of the river 
ports, it is a turbulent place : and a serious riot had 
arisen on the arrival of a small consular staff to open 
the new treaty port. 

A few more days down river and Mr. Judd reached 
home about the end of March. Mr. Broumton re- 
mained on at Kuei-yang alone until mid-summer, 
when reinforcements joined him. Messrs. George 
Clarke, Edward Fishe and Landale had been ap- 
pointed to go west. Landale remained with Broum- 
ton, while Clarke and Fishe went southward into un- 
evangelized Kuang-si. Here they learned that there 
was a population of five millions, but that Roman 
Catholic attempts to obtain a settlement had always 
proved unsuccessful. To try and sell books in that 
province was hopeless, they were told, or to seek to 
influence the people in any way for good. 

"Notwithstanding," wrote Mr. Clarke, "we started, 
trusting in God." 

It took twelve days' hard traveling over the Nan- 
ling mountains to bring them to the border of 
Kuang-si, which they reached in the middle of July. 
At the first city, Kin-yuen, mindful of what they had 
been told, they decided to be cautious. After speak- 



fiOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 223 

ing boldly in a cheery voice to the people for a few 
moments, they offered their books for sale, wonder- 
ing what success they would have. Eagerly they were 
bought up, much to their surprise. For more than 
six weeks the missionaries traveled extensively, visit- 
ing many important cities in this province where, 
they had been told, the people were unfriendly and 
would not buy books! "The people would have 
books," George Clarke wrote, "and this eagerness to 
buy was general." 

On their return the travelers were gladly wel- 
comed home by Broumton and Landale at Kuei-yang, 
and as there were only two bedrooms, Landale and 
Broumton decided to go away for a short missionary 
tour while their colleagues rested. 

They had not been long gone, however, before a 
messenger called them back. They returned imme- 
diately to find George Clarke in high fever in one 
room, and his companion, Edward Fishe, unconscious 
and dying in the other. All night long they watched 
beside him, but early next morning, the 6th of Sep- 
tember, 1877, he fell asleep; and, all unknowing, at 
Wu-ch'ang a widow with two children was praying 

for the father who had been called away to rest. 
* •& * * * * ■& 

Another of the western pioneers was John McCar- 
thy, of Hang-chau, and latterly of Gan-king. He had 
cherished a desire to cross China into Burmah for 
many years, to test the feasibility of traveling and 
working in the far interior ; but the idea was "foolish 



224 THESE E0KTY TEARS. 

and impossible/' he was told: and he had worked on 
in the east. He had been home to England in 1875 
for the shortest possible furlough, only a few weeks, 
and had returned with two of the pioneer volunteers, 
the fifteenth and sixteenth of the eighteen, in the fall. 
The proposal was, as soon as the brethren could speak 
Chinese, for him to escort them inland; but in the 
absence of Mr. Taylor heavy, responsible duties fell 
upon the experienced missionary, and when the time 
came the pioneers went inland without his help. 

Immediately on the signing of the Chef oo Conven- 
tion, as we have seen, two had gone to Shan-si, two to 
Shen-si and two to Kan-suh, while Taylor and Clarke 
were already in llo-nan. Shortly after, two went 
west toward Si-ch'uan and two southwest to Kuei- 
chau; followed in the early spring by two more for 
Kuang-si. Besides these, on the Burman frontier 
Stevenson and Soltau were already working amongst 
the Yun-nanese, and had already been reinforced by 
Dr. and Mrs. Harvey and Mr. Adams. 

On Mr. Taylor's return, however, Mr. McCarthy 
was set free, and undertook the journey that had been 
so long upon his heart. Speaking with an earnest 
native Christian about the matter, Mr. McCarthy 
was delighted to' hear him volunteer to' accompany 
him, but first forewarned him of the dangers of the 
journey. "If you, a foreigner, can risk it for Jesus' 
sake and for my people, surely I, a native of the 
country, may well risk it, too!" 

Often on that long journey Mr. McCarthy was 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 225 

thankful for his friend and fellow-worker's aid. It 
was about the end of January, 1877, when they 
strated up river for Han-kow and I-chang. Thence 
up the magnificent gorges of the Yang-tse, several 
weeks' journey by native boat, they continued west- 
ward to the borders of Si-ch'uan. The first large city 
they came to in this populous and fertile province — 
the largest in China — they left the river and con- 
tinued overland twenty-five days' journey on foot to 
Chung-king, the commercial capital. Trade they 
found to be brisk, the country densely populated and 
the people very friendly. At one place in this stage 
of the journey, the city of Kuang-an, they made a 
considerable stoppage. They found there a man 
whom they had previously met at Gan-king, and he 
proved not only very friendly, but very hospitable. 
One after another of his large clan entertained them, 
and the travelers greatly enjoyed the rest and the 
quiet after their continued travel. 

"Does it ever rain in your honorable country?" 
they would gravely inquire; "and does rain come 
down as it does in China?" 

"Have you any mountains and valleys, so far 
away?" 

"Does the sun shine on you as on us? And is it the 
same sun?" 

Kind and patient answers to these trivial questions 
removed misapprehension and gained confidence, win- 
ning an entrance for the Master's message to dark- 
ened minds and hearts. 

15 



226 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

"In that one district of Si-ch'uan," wrote Mr. Mc- 
Carthy, "in a circle with a diameter of only forty 
miles, I might easily have spent four to six months, 
had time allowed, simply in going about from one 
place to another, as I received invitations. Many 
were the pressing calls I w T as obliged to refuse, and 
in none of the houses to which I went would the 
people take anything from me. They did not want 
my money. They received me freely as a friend, 
and in every case were glad to have the books and 
tracts left with them, and to hear the Gospel from 
my lips." 

At Chung-king, Mr. McCarthy made another, 
though shorter, stay, and impressed by its size and 
importance, rented a house, which was occupied later 
by Cameron and ISTicoll, who, it will be remembered, 
were designated for Si-ch'uan. From here they turned 
southward to Kuei-yang, still walking. Profiting by 
previous experience, Mr. McCarthy made it a rule 
to stop at the first available inn wherever he arrived. 
By so doing, he was often able to get a wash and his 
supper before he was surrounded by friendly visitors, 
and thus avoided a good deal of crowding, which 
might have inconvenienced and, possibly, endangered 
him, and was fresh and ready to entertain them when 
callers came. 

In Hive days they entered the Kuei-chau province, 
and as they traveled across it they were much im- 
pressed and saddened by the prevalence of opium 
smoking. Ten or twelve days after crossing the 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 227 

border they reached Kuei-yang, where they were 
heartily welcomed by Broumton and Landale. After 
a short and very refreshing rest, they started on their 
journey again toward Yun-nan Fu, the capital of the 
province of the same name. Risky as it was to at- 
tempt to cross Yun-nan, had not Mr. McCarthy been 
praying for the province for many years, and were 
not the people just as needy there as in every other 
part of China? Prayerful, but determined, McCarthy 
journeyed onward. It was July when he entered 
Yun-nan, in which no Protestant missionary had ever 
set foot before. As he was entering the capital, he 
was stopped and his business demanded. Friendly 
explanations and the gift of a few tracts by the Chi- 
nese fellow-worker, Yang Ts'uen-ling (whose story, 
by the way, is well worth reading), smoothed matters 
over, and they entered the city in peace. For a few 
days they remained, working quietly; but for pru- 
dence' sake, not much in public, and then continued 
westward toward the second city of the province, 
Ta-li. The road lay over magnificent mountains and 
along beautiful valleys, and the travelers' hearts 
were refreshed. Wonderfully the Lord had pros- 
pered them; might they not safely commend them- 
selves to His good keeping for the perilous remainder 
of the way? 

Speaking of the various travelers they met, oflv 
cials, merchants, rich and poor: "We associated," 
Mr. McCarthy writes, "with all sorts and conditions 
of men, and with but two exceptions never received 



228 THESE FORTY Y£ARS. 

a cross word from any one the whole journey through. 
The Chefoo Convention has already effected great 
good in Yun-nan." It was recognized everywhere 
that foreigners had a right to travel. The only 
wonder seemed to be that a foreign consul had not 
yet been sent to Ta-li Fu "to open a foreign store." 

The country was poor, the men degraded, and the 
women many of them engaged in arduous manual 
labor, considered in other parts of the country as 
only suitable for men. Goitre, moreover, was found 
to be very prevalent in the valleys and among the 
mountains; ague was common, and the people were 
grateful for such medicines as Mr. McCarthy was 
able to give away. 

From Ta-li Fu, still westward, they traveled on, 
crossing higher mountains and finding the roads in- 
creasingly rough. Ten days further on they came 
to Momein, where they rested for several days, 
preaching the Gospel and making friends. They 
learned that the Bhamo medical mission was known 
and valued in those parts. Three days from Momein 
Mr. McCarthy reached the city where Margary had 
been murdered two years before. The local man- 
darin was cordial, spoke of the medical work at 
Bhamo, promised protection while they remained in 
the city, and warned them not to attempt to cross 
the borderland without engaging the services of a 
mountain chief. 

"Traveling simply as you are, you need apprehend 
no difficulty, except from the wild tribes on the Kah- 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 229 

eh en hills/' Mr. McCarthy was frequently told. They 
engaged a mountain chief accordingly, and every- 
where met with not only cordiality, but even gen- 
erous hospitality. For several days they traveled 
amongst these mountain tribes, and Mr. McCarthy's 
heart was much drawn to them. He proposed to stay 
longer with them on his return. 

It was the end of August when at last he descended 
to Bhamo, and right heartily were he and his com- 
panion welcomed by Messrs. Soltau and Adams. 
They found it hard to believe that Mr. McCarthy had 
indeed walked across China. With great joy they 
united in giving thanks to God for His remarkable 
journeying mercies. But the British resident at 
Bhamo absolutely forbade Mr. McCarthy from at- 
tempting to return. 

"I believed it was God who had brought me safely 
through China, and if God had wanted me to return 
that way, neither the Viceroy of India nor any other 
power could have prevented it. I took the message 
as from Him, and so could not trouble about it.' 7 

Mr. McCarthy spent six months at Bhamo, and 

then returned to England with a blessed story to tell 

of the goodness of God vouchsafed to him; and, far 

more important, that — Western China was open. A 

great impression was made at home by the story of 

what Mr. McCarthy had done and heard and seen. 
* ■& * * « * * 

The Shan-si pioneers had to return, as we have 
seen, for supplies. A brief rest at Wu-ch'ang, a fare- 



230 THESE FOBTY YEAItS. 

well prayer meeting with Mr. McCarthy ere he 
started on his long journey across China, and away 
they started again — this time for a longer visit. 

Up the Han they sailed to Fan-ch 7 eng — suffering 
shipwreck, and in danger from pirates, by the way; 
thence they continued by cart, over the rough and 
often dangerous mountain roads of West Ho-nan, for 
several weeks. And so they reached Shan-si. The 
early wheat here was the first sign of spring that 
met their eyes, and the fruit trees were already in 
blossom. Their second visit to Shan-si began with 
all the fresh beauty of the new year. This was in 
the lowlands, in the valley of the Yellow river, but 
it was soon passed, and they ascended into bare and 
desolate regions where the famine was already felt. 

"At most places where we stopped for refresh- 
ment we had a large crowd around us, watching each 
mouthful, and holding out their empty basins in mute 
appeal." 

For three hundred miles they traveled through 
many important cities to the capital, T'ai-yuan. Here 
they engaged a teacher, that they might more quickly 
acquire the local dialect; and most of the next two 
months w r ere given to evangelistic work in the city 
and surrounding country. Pitiful were the experi- 
ences of those long, dry months! "Night and day," 
wrote Mr. Turner, "incessant prayer was made for 
rain — the people crying aloud to their gods, for that 
which alone could save from death." 

So it continued through the summer, and when 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 231 

autumn came, with no break in the drought, whole 
families committed suicide, rather than face the 
hardships of the coming winter. The terrible heat 
of that long summer, unmitigated by the usual sum- 
mer rains, and the still more terrible consciousness of 
the suffering all around them, began to tell on the 
health of the workers, and both were stricken down 
with famine fever in the fall. James narrowly 
escaped with his life, and it was evident that he would 
have to come to the coast, and Turner must go with 
him to nurse him by -the way. 

Very loth, indeed, they were to leave the province 
at this time, where they were the only Protestant 
workers, arid where death was working such havoc 
amongst the starving population. Two months' 
journey southwards, by cart, to Fan-ch/eng was a 
serious matter in early winter, for the sick man and 
his friend ; but they suffered most of all from the con- 
dition of the people among whom they passed. 

"The scenes witnessed upon this journey," wrote 
Mr. Turner from Han-kow, "have left an indelible 
impression of horror upon my mind. It is difficult to 
conceive a country in a worse condition. Many of 
the trees are destitute of bark, long since stripped off 
and eaten. The poor are literally starving. In 

the early morning, as we passed, we saw the victims 
of the preceding night lying dead and stiff where 
they fell. On the open road men were writhing in 
the agonies of death; no one pitied them; no one 
cared — for the sight of death had long since become 



232 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

common. Hundreds of corpses were lying on the 
roads; we saw them ..." 

About this time, the English consul at T'ien-tsin 
wrote, "The aspect of affairs was simply terrible. 
The autumn crop over the whole of Shan-si and the 
greater portion of Chih-li and Shen-si had failed; no 
rain had fallen, and the heavens were pitilessly blue." 
The English Famine Relief Funds sent to China over 
$150,000, and the Missionary Societies $55,000, of 
which the larger half was given through the China 
Inland Mission. 

As soon as it was possible, Turner returned to 
Shan-si, entering this time from T'ien-tsin, the port 
of Pekin, with the Rev. David Hill, the beloved 
leader of the English Wesley an Mission. They and 
an American missionary, the Rev. A. Whiting, went 
inland in the spring of 1878, and were warmly wel- 
comed by the officials of Shan-si, who were already 
doing all they could to alleviate the suffering, and 
gladly helped the missionaries in their arduous serv- 
ice. 

Many at home had given largely to this noble re- 
lief work, on hearing of the terrible sufferings of the 
famine-stricken people; but Mr. Whiting gave his 
life, for within three weeks he caught the famine 
fever, and before the end of April had gone to his 
reward. 

The work of distribution was commenced at the 
capital, T'ai-yuan, and from there Messrs. David Hill 
and Turner gradually worked their way southward 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAB INTERIOR. 233 

as far as P'ing-yang Fu, where they were cordially 
welcomed by the prefect and his subordinate man- 
darins, who rendered them every help in their power. 
Here they soon came across traces of the work that 
had been done in the previous visits to the province. 

About midsummer Turner again went north and 
joined Mr. Timothy Richard, of the English Baptist 
Mission, who for eight months had been steadily 
working away at famine relief in and around T'ai- 
yuan, winning golden opinions from rich and poor, 
perhaps especially the former. He seems to have a 
special faculty for making friends with mandarins. 

In the early fall Timothy Richard returned to his 
own work in the province of Shan-tung, leaving Tur- 
ner single-handed at T'ai-yuan. Hard work it was, 
even harder on the spirits than on the physical frame, 
for the sufferings of the famine-stricken people can 
scarcely be imagined, much less described. 

The first really cool weather after the long, hot 
summer, brought its own dangers with it, as, indeed, 
it usually does in China. Turner caught a chill and 
soon developed dysentery. In spite of this, urged by 
the terrible suffering around, he continued his work 
as long as possible; but there was a limit. At last 
he had to send a brief note to David Hill, down south 
at P'ing-yang Fu, telling him of his condition; and 
he could do no more, expecting soon to see his Mas- 
ter's face. 

David Hill, on receiving the message, came with 
all speed, had a good journey and arrived within a 



234 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

fortnight. The very sight of him did Turner good. 
And his loving ministrations soon resulted in a cure. 
Soon after they rejoiced to welcome Mrs. Hudson 
Taylor and two other lady missionaries, who had trav- 
eled to Shan-si under the experienced escort of Mr. 
Bailer. 

"The Chinese officials/' wrote the British consul, 
"now treat the missionaries with the most marked 
cordiality, and assist them in every way in their 
power. As for the people, they have at last opened 
their houses. . . . The advent of the foreigner is 
now hailed with delight. . . . This distribution 
of funds by the brave and judicious men engaged 
in the work will do more to open China than a dozen 
wars." 

Were it not for the opium traffic, forced upon 
China in spite of every protest, that country would 
long ago have flung its doors wide open, not only to 
the missionary who first wins their esteem, but also 
to his compatriots, bringing the material benefits of 
Western civilization. Generous as were the gifts 
that came to China during these terrible years of 
famine, twice every week (on an average) was Eng- 
land repaid, through the opium revenue, for the en- 
tire sum of this famine relief! 

Yery gratefully, however — forgetting all the 
wrongs of the past and the present — did the high 
officials acknowledge this timely help and the gen- 
erous, self-denying way in which it was administered. 

Probably in no part of the empire is the deplorable 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAIt IKTEBIOK. 235 

effect of the opium trade more terribly manifest than 
in this very province of Shan-si. Humanly speaking, 
no victim of intemperance is more hopeless than the 
confirmed opium-smoker. And yet, in recent years, 
in this province alone, hundreds, if not thousands, of 
opium-smokers have been saved, doubly rescued, from 
the dominance of the opium habit and from the power 
of the Enemy, by the higher power of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. But I anticipate. 

******* 

Of all the pioneer journeys that followed the Che- 
foo Convention, none was more remarkable than that 
made into eastern Thibet, nor among the eighteen 
brethren who were prayed for in 1875, and went far 
afield in 1876 and 1877, was there a more remarkable 
man than James Cameron. Tall, powerful Scot, he 
was a man of character, of determination and of faith. 
Starting west with George Nicoll in the fall of 1876, 
both of them designated for the province of Si-ch'uan, 
they were detained for a time at I-chang, where they 
opened a station. From this point, already a thou- 
sand miles up the Yang-tse, after a serious riot, 
already mentioned, they continued their journey 
westward to Chung-king, Si-ch'uan. Here they 
rented premises, the first Protestant station in that 
large and populous province. 

But Cameron was a born pioneer. Even during 
the comparatively brief stay at I-chang he had sown 
the Good Seed in the principal centers between that 



236 THESE FOETY YEARS. 

city and the borders of Hu-nan. And after a short 
stay -at Chung-king, the two brethren, accompanied 
now by Mr. Leaman, of the American Presbyterian 
Board, started westward again for the capital of the 
province, Ch'eng-tu, a twenty days' journey across 
rich, fertile country, during which they enjoyed 
many opportunities of preaching the Gospel. At 
Ch'eng-tu they stayed nine days, gaining attentive 
hearings and selling large numbers of Scriptures and 
tracts. 

It was mid-autumn when they continued their 
journey. First west to the limit of the beautiful, 
well-watered plain, and then due south, a fort- 
night's journey in all, to Ya-chau, the commercial 
entrance to Chinese Thibet. Through this city im- 
mense quantities of brick tea are yearly imported 
into the land of eternal snows, Thibet. 

From this point onward their journey became more 
difficult. The roads were steadily rising to higher 
altitudes, and the country became more and more 
barren and inhospitable every stage they went. After 
another week of this arduous traveling, Mr. Nicoll 
could go no farther. Repeated attacks of ague had 
quite prostrated him, and it would have been folly 
to proceed. Mr. Leaman volunteered to accompany 
him back to Chung-king, and early in October Cam- 
eron only remained to continue the journey. "I miss 
my companions much," he wrote, "but shall soon get 
accustomed to being alone." Happy for him that he 
had proved the truth of "Lo, I am with you alway!" 



HOW GOD OPENED THE EAR INTERIOR. 237 

He traveled light ! ! His money he carried in little 
irregnlar Lumps of silver, sewn into an inner garment, 
and his baggage consisted of little more than the in- 
dispensable bedding and a change or two of clothes. 

A week later he reached the interesting little town 
of Ta-tsien-ln. This place attracted Mr. Cameron's 
attention as being the first foreign-looking place he 
had come to. It has its own lamasery, from which 
the Thibetans, who form quite half the population, 
are governed. For these places are not only monas- 
teries — containing hundreds and sometimes thou- 
sands of lamas — and temples, but also the residence 
of the ruling lama, the head official of the neighbor- 
hood. 

Ahead, then, was Thibet. It was unlikely that he 
would have access to Thibet proper. But Chinese 
Thibet, included nominally in the Si-ch'uan province, 
was open to him. Governed by lamas instead of man- 
darins, and only partially subject to the court of 
Pekin, its people, pure Thibetans, are yet much more 
ready for dealings with the outside world than the 
population of Inner Thibet, perhaps through the in- 
fluence of the migratory population along the banks 
of the great rivers, which here intersect the country, 
one of them being the main stream of the Yang- 
tse. 

From Ta-tsien-lu onward the road ran mostly at a 
great altitude, seldom descending lower than twelve 
thousand feet. It was lonely and little traveled, 
moreover, and any kind of accommodation — any kind 



238 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

would do for Cameron — was hard to obtain. The first 
night after leaving the little border town,* Cameron 
saw what he must expect for the remainder of his 
journey through this upland country. It was a mis- 
erable little inn he had come to, the best there was; 
no bed was to be had, nothing but a little straw on 
the rough ground. The only thing homely about it 
was a smoky fire of green wood. Still, he was thank- 
ful for that! 

Here, too, he had his first experience of "Tsan-pa," 
the staple food of Thibet, which consists of a mixture 
of well-boiled tea, salt, butter and parched wheaten 
flour. This is stirred by each member of the com- 
munity in his own basin, and without further prepara- 
tion the Tsan-pa is ready to eat, the hand doing duty 
for a spoon. 

Their landlord gave them, moreover, alarming ac- 
counts of the difficulties and dangers that lay ahead. 
Indeed, it was not without considerable difficulty that 
Cameron's coolie was persuaded to continue. He 
saw, however, that the foreigner had no fear, and 
realized that this was due to his faith in God, for, of 
course, he had no arms. 

"Dangers there are," he wrote, ''but God will bring 
us through." Up they continued next day, away 
above the snow line, into the intensest cold, for Octo- 
ber was now well advanced. They saw, as they went, 
something of the semi-nomadic Man-tse, as these 

♦Chinese women are not allowed further west than 
Ta-tsien-lu. 



HOW GOD OPENED THE EAR INTERIOR. 239 

Outer Thibetans are called by their Chinese neigh- 
bors. Dressed in a long, rough sheepskin tunic to 
the knees, with a colored girdle and long woolen 
boots, and with long, black, matted hair, the people 
presented a striking, if somewhat barbarous picture. 
As to their unkempt hair, "some are wiser," wrote 
Mr. Cameron, who noticed everything, "and cut it 
ofT." It is said they wash at New Year time, but it 
seems improbable that they do so at any other season 
of the year. 

Next night they had some difficulty in obtaining a 
lodging at all. The people evidently wanted to make 
a "good thing" out of them, which was more than the 
Scotchman could stand. Prayer prevailed, and they 
were admitted. As they entered, a huge dog leaped 
at them, but was happily kept back by a powerful 
young woman, who held on to him with all her might. 
A Chinaman came in with them, and, nothing loth, 
joined them at a cup of hot tea — delicious and re- 
freshing by reason of being hot, if for no other rea- 
son. But Cameron and his man had no basins, which 
provoked a smile all round. They were accommo- 
dated, however, by the family, surprised at such un- 
prepared travelers. 

Supper consisted of bread and eggs, which they 
had brought with them. After begging for and ob- 
taining an egg, the Chinaman retired. On his de- 
parture the fun began. "I wanted to learn a few 
words of the (Thibetan) language, and my blunders 
afforded entertainment; it does not seem to be difli- 



240 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

cult. . . . Very soon we were on quite friendly 
terms, only we could not converse much. We were 
invited to eat Tsan-pa. . . . Supper over, our sit- 
ting-room became the common bedroom, the women 
taking one side and we another. They only strewed 
a few skins on the floor, the garments they wore dur- 
ing the day doing duty as bed covers." Arising early 
next morning, they gave their good host the equiva- 
lent of eight cents, at which unexpected liberality he 
was greatly delighted. 

One of their hardest days was Saturday, on which 
they had to cross a "huge snow-clad mountain." It 
was bitterly cold, the keen wind piercing to their 
bones. How glad they were, toward evening, to be 
descending on the farther side ! 

As they hurried along, they were surprised and 
delighted to hear a friendly Chinese voice, and soon 
found themselves comfortably ensconced in a little 
roadside hut. And very grateful they were for the 
hospitality, after the long, hard week of traveling; 
and greatly they enjoyed a good, square meal of tea, 
bread and soup containing meat ! Here they decided 
to stay over Sunday; and well it was they did. 

For on Monday they had a still more difficult time. 
They had started early and traveled hard; but as 
evening drew on they came to a lonely house, and, 
warned by the appearance of the people, determined 
to go on. It was on and up. Twilight deepened into 
darkness; but, happily, the moon rose to light them 
on their way. Before they reached the highest point 



HOW GOD OPENED THE EAR INTERIOR. 241 

they were nearly fourteen thousand feet above the 
sea. Glad indeed they were to reach the summit, for 
the poor coolie, disheartened and exhausted, had 
nearly given in. 

It was a rough descent that followed, and when at 
last they reached the valley it was late, and no one 
dared to let them in. Prayer again conquered, and 
just as they had determined to pass the night under 
the eaves of a temple, the door was opened ; they were 
invited in, and soon were seated by a beautiful warm 
fire, with hot tea before them. "The people of the 
house told us that we must have walked fifty-six miles 
since morning." 

^Text day a twenty-four mile walk brought them to 
Li-tang, a little town of five thousand people, chiefly 
interesting as being one of the highest cities in the 
world. The only noteworthy building was the great 
lamasery, which contained three thousand priests. 
Lazy, good-for-nothing fellows, haughty, tyrannical, 
and grossly immoral, these lamas naturally dread the 
influence of Christian teaching. "If the people be- 
lieve your doctrines/' they say, "we shall soon be 
without our rice." The poor people have to 

pay tithes four times a year, and two-thirds of the 
land is said to belong to these Buddhist priests. 

Still westward the travelers continued another 
week's journey to Ba-tang, traveling steadily up and 
down hill, seldom below the snow line. What a 
week's journey it was ! 

The first night it was a pitiful place they came to, 

16 



242 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

but they were glad enough to have shelter. It was 
pleasant, too, to be staving with a friendly Chinaman, 
with whom Mr. Cameron could speak of the Glad 
News which he longed to give the people. "We had 
no fire, and. not feeling well, I had to lie down with 
a burning skin, at the same time almost shivering 
with cold." Fever, one naturally surmises. But, 
"Up early, and away, before the sun shone over the 
mountains," the journal continues. 

This stage of their journey was the worst, the 
highest and the coldest they had had. It came to an 
end, however, and one day they found themselves at 
an altitude of fifteen thousand six hundred feet, look- 
ing down on the city of Ba-tang, seven thousand feet 
below. This important border town is on the far 
side of the Yang-tse (here narrowed to two hundred 
yards in width) and quite near the boundary of Inner 
Thibet. 

There were, however, no inns. Many inquiries 
were made by private citizens as to their respectabil- 
ity, and after standing to answer questions again and 
again, they were denied admission. "At last a 
woman took pity on us, and led us to a resting place — 
not a very good one, but we were thankful for it. 
'Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.' " Gratefully 
they took their supper, and lay down to rest. 

"Sleep I could not. ... At last I struck a light, 
and, to my dismay, found my Ba-tang bed almost as 
bad as those that had caused me many a restless night 
further east. My foes gave me no peace. There 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 243 

was nothing for it but just to heave a sigh and lie 
down." 

At Ba-tang he spent four days. High mountains 
surrounded them, running up to as much as twenty- 
two thousand feet, but down in the valley it was mild 
and refreshing. The Chinese mandarin was cordial, 
but concerned to know whether Mr. Cameron in- 
tended to attempt Thibet. "No? Ah, that is excel- 
lent. The lamas are determined in their opposition 
to foreigners crossing the border; in fact, it cannot 
be done." 

This, then, was the end of their journey. From 
here they turned south, a ten days' stage still among 
a Thibetan population, as far as A-ten-tse, on the 
border of Yun-nan. On the third day he reached 
and stood on the actual frontier, between Thibet 
proper and Chinese Thibet. He looked across at the 
lonely homes of the Thibetans. "As I gazed," he 
writes, "I wondered when the messengers of Jesus 
would have free access there. It will be open some 
day." 

It was the middle of November before they de- 
scended from the mountains to the compact little 
Hat-roofed settlement of A-ten-tse. Narrow streets, 
in a very unsanitary condition, did not add to its at- 
tractions. But there was an inn, and a small room 
was vacant, for which they were more than thankful. 

Surely, God had timed their arrival at this place, 
for poor Cameron that night was stricken down with 
a severe attack of remittent fever, and for more than 



244 THESE F0ETY YEARS. 

a fortnight lay, weak and helpless, more than once 
thinking the end was near. His heart, however, was 
in perfect peace. What conld be better than to be 
f onnd by the Master in the forefront of the battle ? 
One thing only troubled him. What was to become 
of his unused silver? Isot that there would have 
been very much of it, at this stage of his journey, 
one would suppose. "See, what a trouble it is to be 
rich!" he writes. 

But far away, continually, prayer was ascending 
for the lonely traveler. It was heard, and answered. 
The fever abated, and on the third of December he 
continued his journey southward, towards Ta-li, one 
of the principal cities of Yun-nan. He did not start, 
however, before he had had the satisfaction of fully 
preaching Christ to all who could understand him, 
rich and poor, in the remote border town. 

From here onward, happily, the traveling was 
easier. High, barren, snow-clad uplands were grad- 
ually exchanged for low, broad valleys, fertile and in- 
habited, and the dangers and hardships of Outer 
Thibet were left behind. 

Very beautiful Ta-li looked, at the southern end 
of its long, wide lake, and surrounded by a populous, 
highly cultivated valley. The place was thoroughly 
open, he found, for Christian work, numerous and 
attentive audiences hearing the Gospel from his lips 
in all parts of the city. Moreover, a well-established 
work was already under way, in charge of a Roman 
Catholic bishop and two priests. 



HOW GOB OPENED THE FAR INTERIOR. 245 

"When will Protestant missionaries be laboring in 
these regions?" Cameron wrote, with a sigh, ere he 
left the city. After spending Christmas in Ta-li, he 
continued his journey, following now in the steps of 
McCarthy, towards Bhamo, on the Burman frontier. 
A week's journey brought him to the important city 
of Yung-chang, where again he found a ready hear- 
ing for the Gospel. 

The next stage, to Momien, was more difficult, for 
banditti had been committing serious depredations, 
and trade was at a standstill. A military expedition 
had just returned, after beheading seventeen of the 
marauders. Otherwise it might not have been prac- 
ticable to continue the journey towards Manwyne, 
the last city in China. At this place they were enter- 
tained by a kindly old lady, who could not say enough 
of the missionaries in Bhamo. Her son had been 
lying at death's door, unconscious, in the delirium 
of high fever, at a lonely place among the Kah-chen 
hills; but when the mother had arrived she found 
two missionaries in charge, doing all that could be 
done, and her son well on the way to complete re- 
covery. "How can I express my gratitude," she 
asked, "to the strangers who had saved his life?" 
They proved to be none other than Stevenson and 
Soltau, of the China Inland Mission. 

After spending three days at Manwyne, working 
among the Chinese, Kah-chens and Shans that 
thronged its busy streets, Cameron continued his 
journey up into the border highlands, under the 



246 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

escort of a mountain chief, sometimes having to sleep 
in the open, sometimes meeting with cordial hospital- 
ity, and finding many opportunities for preaching by 
the way, until at last his road descended into the 
valley of the Irrawaddy. 

Here, at Bhamo, he made a short stay with Messrs. 
Soltau and Adams, and then, being forbidden by the 
British Resident to return, descended the river, took 

steamer to Canton, and so reentered China. 
******* 

Within two years from the signing of the Chefoo 
Convention, in September, 1876, the pioneer workers 
of the China Inland Mission had traveled in every 
part of the country, more than thirty thousand miles. 
A little map was published in May, 1878, giving a 
vivid impression of the widespread itinerations of 
these early years. It is not easy, as one looks at the 
little map, to realize how much of real hardship, of 
faith, of courage and persistent effort it represents. 

Many have been the happy results of those early 
journeyings. Never before had the country been so 
open. The new treaty had more force, while it was 
still new, than it would have later, and in every 
part of the country the workers were welcomed by 
the mandarins and, therefore, by the people. 

An immense amount of Christian literature was 
put into circulation. Friendly impressions were pro- 
duced by the quiet, unostentatious travelers, and it 
was well for the people of the remoter provinces that 
their first contact with Western civilization should be 



HOW GOD OPENED THE FAB INTERIOR. 24:7 

through these earnest, loving, considerate mission- 
aries, who came in the dress of the people, and 
brought them nothing but good news and love. 
Cameron alone, within six years, had visited every 
province in China but one, and immense numbers of 
people must have heard the Gospel for the first time 
from his lips and received it from his hands. 

This, however, after all, was but the scaffolding 
for future building. Permanent location in these 
remote districts soon followed, and itineration had 
shown where a peaceable entrance could most likely 
be obtained. The missionaries bore in mind, of 
course, the settled principle to enter first the larger 
and more important cities. This plan was modified, 
however, by the duty — "If it be possible, as much as 
in you lieth, live peaceably with all men." 

Commencing with extensive evangelization, more- 
over, was the plan on which our Lord Himself and 
the early Apostles worked. When asked to stay 
where an opening had been won, our Lord replied: 
"Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach 
there, also; for therefore am I sent." And the early 
disciples, who themselves received the last command 
to "go into all the world," carried out their instruc- 
tions literally, and "went everywhere, preaching the 
Word." 

History has proved that this method paid in those 
early days. Modern history proves that this same 
method pays among the heathen of to-day. It is 
much easier to obtain a residence in a city where 



248 THESE EOBTY YEARS. 

the missionary has visited repeatedly before and does 
not come as a stranger. It is much easier, also, in 
this way to avoid serious mistakes in locating. 

The Gospel preached is the same incorruptible seed 
as of old. It does not perish. Here and there it 
lies dormant for years, but in every part of the 
country prepared souls are found, ready to receive 
it in the good soil of honest hearts. "What is the 
seed?" Mr. Taylor asks, writing of this work. "The 
seed is the preached Gospel, the proclaimed Good 
News of something which the heathen, as they are, 
can appreciate. . . . Talk theory to the heathen, 
and they are generally unmoved. . . . But, as ex- 
perience proves, tell your audience that you have an 
infallible help for every opium smoker, for every 
drunkard, for every gambler — a Saviour, who has 
never once failed to save immediately any soul that 
really trusted Him, both from the power of sin and 
from its eternal consequences, and you will soon see 
that the Gospel is good news to your hearers ; that it 
can command attention, and will accomplish the 
mightiest changes. 

"But so to preach Christ, we must ourselves be 
filled with the Spirit; be abiding in Christ; be con- 
scious of the fullness and power of His great sal- 
vation." 






CHAPTER XL 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 

Thus we have traced the steps by which God an- 
swered prayer and opened the gates of the west, and 
the stages by which province after province was en- 
tered by these missionary pioneers. All glory to 
God, Who worketh for them that wait for Him. 

The story of the opening of the far interior would 
be incomplete, however, without telling of the brave 
women who were the first to enter these western and 
northern and southern provinces. For if the two 
years from the autumn of 1876 to the summer of 
1878 were remarkable for those early journeyings, 
the next three years, from the middle of 1878 to the 
end of 1881, were equally notable for the courageous 
entrance of women missionaries into the newly 
opened field. 

The first to go in were Mrs. Hudson Taylor and 
two single ladies — Miss Home and Miss Crickmay — 
to the northern province of Shan-si. 

But before following those who went, a prior ques- 
tion will occur to some: Why did they go at all, so 
far from civilization and comfort and safety? It goes 
without saying — Not at the mere dictate of fancy or 
impulse. Two facts compelled them. Jesus com- 
mands it: 'Treach the Gospel," He says, "to every 

249 



250 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

creature." And clearly ''every creature" in "all the 
world" includes the two or three hundred millions of 
inland China — includes the women as well as the 
men. This decided them; this and the women's 
need. 

Unwelcome when born, untaught in childhood, un- 
loved in womanhood and unhonored in old age, the 
women of China need the Gospel of the love of God 
and all it brings as much, surely, as any women in 
the world! It would seem almost as if Christianity 
did more for the women than for the men, especially 
in a country like China, were it not that man gains 
equally, of course, by all that uplifts woman. 

Every fourth woman in the world is a China- 
woman, and more than three-fourths of these were 
utterly beyond all hope of enlightenment if their 
Christian sisters stayed at the coast. A Christless 
life must culminate in a Christless death, unless 
Christ's women, for His sake and theirs, would give 
them the Gospel. The love of Christ con- 

strained them. And the unspeakable need of the 
women called almost as clearly as the still, small 
voice commanded. 

So they went. 

Mrs. Taylor's going was especially difficult. 
Christmas, 1877, had been a time of great rejoicing, 
for it brought home Mr. Hudson Taylor, after a sep- 
aration of a year and more from wife and children. 

But the new year of 1878 was still young when a 
great opportunity arose in China. The famine in the 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 251 

north had become terrible beyond all precedent. Six 
millions were on the verge of starvation by January, 
1878 (and more than that number, probably not less 
than nine millions, perished before it was over). 
Missionaries had embraced the opportunity of show- 
ing the practical side of our Christian faith, and had 
gone into the famine-swept regions, rank with death 
and scourged with famine fever, that most contagious 
of diseases, at the risk of life, with famine relief. 
Native authorities welcomed them cordially, and thus 
their safety from violence and their welcome by the 
masses were assured. It was the greatest opportunity 
of the century. 

Among the famine sufferers, the lot of the children 
was especially pitiful, as indeed that of the weak and 
helpless invariably is among heathen peoples. Hun- 
dreds of them were dying every day; hundreds more 
were being sold into slavery, to go south into lives of 
misery and shame. Surely something must be done 
for them. Prayer confirmed this impression, 

and in the spring of 1878, only two or three short 
months after their reunion, Mr. Hudson Taylor sug- 
gested to Mrs. Taylor that perhaps she ought to go. 
None of the experienced workers in China could be 
spared from their posts. If she did not go, who 
could? 

Such a suggestion could neither be declined nor 
accepted in a hurry. It involved leaving the chil- 
dren, and separation again so soon for husband and 
wife, What it cost to make the suggestion Mrs. Tay- 



252 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

lor full well knew. Could it be her duty? One thing 
was sure. If God wished it, He could provide for the 
children. "Would He? At first it seemed not, but 
further prayer removed this obstacle completely. 
Still some thought it wrong. So they put God to the 
test. Mrs. Taylor asked the Lord one day to send 
her the money for her outfit, and to give her also 
£50 for a special purpose — just that, neither more 
nor less. If He gave her a sign, and did both, surely 
her way would be clear. 

That very day a visitor called to see her and in- 
quired was she really going. On hearing that she 
expected to go, he handed her a check for the outfit, 
for that and nothing else — exactly the sum allotted 
to outgoing missionaries for that purpose. But that 
was only half her prayer. Yes ; but three days later 
came a check for £50, with express permission to use 
it for the purpose desired. Is not God more ready 
to answer than we to pray? 

More than this, God gave Mrs. Taylor a third en- 
couragement. The proposed orphanage and other 
work in Shan-si would involve expense. "If you for 
Christ's sake can separate," wrote a donor, "I cannot 
give less than this." And he inclosed a check for a 
thousand pounds sterling ($5,000), which he could ill 
spare from his business. And his generous gift and 
kind words came the very day Mrs. Taylor was to sail 
for China, while they were holding a farewell com- 
munion service. What a loving Father we have! 

The provision for her fellow-travelers, the others 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 253 

of the outgoing party, was scarcely less remarkable; 
and on May 2nd they started, full of confidence and 
expectation, if some of them with aching hearts. 
They reached China at the beginning of summer, and 
as soon as it was safe to travel, in the early autumn, 
cordial letters came from Shan-si inviting Mrs. Tay- 
lor to come at once, and all necessary arrangements 
would be made for her. This she did, and was accom- 
panied by Miss Home and Miss Crickmay, both of 
whom had been in China long enough to learn the 
language. An experienced escort was provided for 
them in the person of Mr. Bailer, and September, 
1878, found them on the way. 

After a sad journey through desolated towns and 
cities, with scarcely a child and no babies to be seen, 
they reached T'ai-yuan in safety, on October 24th. 
"With what grateful hearts to God/' wrote Mr. 
Taylor when the news reached him, "do we record 
the safe arrival of our first party of missionary 
sisters at the capital of one of the nine hitherto un- 
evangelized provinces !" 

"Not long after their arrival, Mr. James returned 
with his bride, and a little later, Mr. Timothy Richard 
came back with his wife. Work was immediately 
commenced among the women of the city, many 
visits being paid to their homes and sewing classes 
being started as a means of giving relief to the desti- 
tute women. At the same time, premises were se- 
cured for an orphanage, and a number of little 
orphan girls received into its loving shelter. 



254 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

There was more difficulty, however, than had been 
expected in gathering children for the home, for the 
sad reason that there were very few children to 
gather. Most of the little girls had either died of 
starvation, or had been sold to the Southerners, who 
came north with bags of money on their evil errand 
during the early part of the famine. During the 
whole of Mrs. Taylor's stay she saw only one little 
baby in T'ai-yuan! In such ways as these, the 

confidence of the people was soon won, and many 
homes were opened to them all over the city. 

It is not easy, perhaps, to realize what those 
months of work in that famine-stricken district in- 
volved for Mrs. Taylor; but she never regretted the 
sacrifice, and years afterwards she had the joy of 
seeing four of those children, who had been left at 
home in the care of others, fellow-laborers with her 
in China. To children, as well as adults, example 
speaks louder than precept. 

******* 

In the following spring, the way opening for Mr. 
Taylor to return to China, he was joined at the coast 
by Mrs. Taylor, the women's work at T'ai-yuan being 
carried on by her companions. 

In the summer, Mr. Taylor was very seriously ill, 
his life being despaired of for a time. A visit, how- 
ever, to Chefoo, then little known as a health resort, 
was used of GTod to his restoration. Mr. Taylor was, 
moreover, so impressed with the value of the place 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 255 

as a health resort, with its invigorating climate, that 
this visit resulted, later on, in the establishment of 
a China Inland Mission Sanitarium and a school 
for missionaries' children. The latter has grown 
steadily ever since, and can now accommodate two 
hundred and fifty children. 

It is easv to understand what a benefit the Sani- 
tarium has been to sick and convalescent missionaries, 
who would otherwise have had to* take the long and 
expensive journey home, or, if that were impracti- 
cable from their condition, might have died for lack 
of just such means of recuperation. It is equally 
easy to see what a blessing the schools have been, en- 
abling the children to be educated without leaving 
China, and at a minimum expense. The education 
given has been thorough, the boys and girls being 
prepared for college or university in America or Eng- 
land. As far as room permitted, the children of other 
missionaries and of merchants and other residents 
have been made welcome. The Preparatory School 
takes children from six or seven to ten, and the Boys' 
and Girls' Schools keep them until they are seventeen 
or eighteen years of age. 

As soon as Mr. Taylor was sufficiently restored to 
health, he and Mrs. Taylor went down to the Yang-tse 
valley again and did all in their power to facilitate 
the lady workers' going inland, either with their hus- 
bands or, if single, under the care of suitable and 
experienced escorts. 

The next of our lady missionaries to go inland was 



256 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

the bride of George King, who had come down to the 
coast from the far northwest, and they were now re- 
turning, with mingled joy and concern at the thought 
of the future and the work that lay before them. 
From Han-kow, the Chicago of mid-China, they 
started inland, up the great Han river, on their three 
or four months' journey toward Shen-si and Kan-suh, 
the field of Mr. King's former journeyings. Con- 
siderable care had to be taken on this trip up river, 
for the people had been somewhat excited by the 
advent of the men missionaries from time to time 
during the previous two or three years, and it was 
very important to avoid unfriendly rumors traveling 
up the river before them to increase the difficulty of 
obtaining a home at the journey's end. 

On the way an amusing incident occurred, the 
significance of which did not appear at the time, but 
was duly appreciated later. It happened one day 
that, the wind being contrary, the crew were out on 
the tow-path. They came in as usual at noon for 
the mid-day meal, and naturally, their appetites were 
hearty. As soon as dinner was over, they started 
out to track again, but before long one of the men 
was seized with violent pains and came on board the 
boat doubled up with agony. "Ah-yah! Ah-yah!" 
he cried, "I am going to die!" — so severe was the 
pain. Mr. King came out of the little cabin to learn 
what was the matter, and soon discovered that the 
patient was suffering from what seemed to be violent 
indigestion. Among the wedding presents had been, 



THE FIEST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 257 

conveniently, a little homoeopathic medicine chest, 
containing also Ruddock's "Vade Mecum." This he 
consulted; the remedy was nux vomica. One or two 
drops of this tincture were forthwith administered to 
the suffering coolie, and in a very short time the pain 
vanished, the bitter medicine acting like a charm. 
Needless to say, not only the patient, but the whole 
boat's crew, were greatly delighted. If that man had 
died upon their hands, the whole trip would have 
been unlucky, and his spirit would have continued to 
haunt the boat for no one knows how long : and there 
he was sitting up, quite well, and smiling! 

The little incident was soon forgotten by Mr. and 
Mrs. King; but not so by the coolies, who on the tow- 
path met continually their friends and acquaintances, 
and gave them a graphic account of the astonishing 
incident. Far and fast the good news spread, not 
diminishing as it went, until they reached the great 
city of Han-chong, after three months' traveling, the 
fame of Mr. King as a doctor was fairly well recog- 
nized ! 

The autumn was past. It was now November, 
and the weather was getting quite severely cold. 
Mr. King felt it would be well to end their journey 
at this point, if possible, at any rate, for the winter. 
At first, there was, as usual, great difficulty in renting 
premises, but a mandarin, who had known Mr. King 
before, and who was particularly glad to welcome 
him as a doctor, lent his aid at this juncture, and 
difficulties vanished. A comfortable house was se- 

17 



258 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

cured, with a large guest-room that would seat a 
couple of hundred people; just the very thing for 
their work. The "doctor" had crowds of men vis- 
itors and patients, and Mrs. King was kept just as 
busy with the scores of women who crowded to the 
"inner" rooms. In the spring they were able to 
report an attendance of about a hundred at public 
worship, many of them women; and they added, 
"Mr. King already has had the joy of baptizing one 
man, the first-fruits of Shen-si." 

Thus woman's work was commenced in the second 
of the nine unevangelized provinces of the interior; 
work which has gone on increasing ever since, and 
has resulted in the conversion of considerable num- 
bers of women, who have thus formed the early mem- 
bers of the Church of Christ in that far northwestern 
province. 

Sad to tell, little more than a year later, Mrs. 
King succumbed to the climate and the arduous 
duties of her overwhelming work. In May, 1881, 
she passed away with typhoid fever, leaving a little 
son but five months old. She gave her life for the 
women, and was the first missionary woman to be 
laid to rest in the far interior. 

Twelve months before her home call, happily, Mrs. 
King had the joy of welcoming reinforcements. A 
middle-aged lady, who had gone to China at her 
own expense four years before, Miss Elizabeth Wil- 
son, of Kendal, volunteered to take that long journey 
up the Han. Her offer was accepted. She and Miss 






THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 259 

Faussett, now Mrs. Samuel Clarke, of Kuei-yang, 
started on their journey in February, 1880, and three 
months later arrived safely in Han-chong — the first 
ladies to travel alone into distant parts of the empire. 
Two native Christians went with them as servants, 
but they neither had, nor desired, any other escort 
than these and the unseen Fellow-traveler, to whose 
protection they had been lovingly commended, and 
who brought them safely on their way. To 

these ladies Mrs. King left the work among the 
women at Han-chong. 

******* 

While Mr. and Mrs. George King were still on 
their way up the Han, two other brides started west- 
ward to work among the women in Si-ch'uan and 
Kuei-chau. 

For in mid-autumn, 1879, two other pioneer evan- 
gelists had been married in the beautiful cathedral at 
Shanghai. And in October, Mr. and Mrs. Mcoll and 
Mr. and Mrs. George Clarke started together on their 
long and perilous journey. By steamer they went 
up the Yang-tse to Han-kow, by native house-boat 
many stages farther to I-chang; and thence, by Si- 
ch'uan junk, they traveled up the rapids towards 
Chung-king. These junks, at once strong and light, 
are especially built for the "rapid" region, which 
commences a short distance above I-chang and 
reaches upward almost as far as Uan-hsien, form- 
ing, with the magnificent mountains that flank the 



260 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

river on either side, the natural frontier of the fertile 
province of Si-ch'uan. Up the rapids the boat has to 
be towed by a gang of coolies, fifty or a hundred 
strong. They attach themselves to a stout hawser (of 
plaited bamboo-withes) which is securely fastened to 
the junk, and then proceed to haul the boat, inch by 
inch, up the surging river, being often bent double 
with the strain on the narrow tow-path. The path 
itself, in many places, is a piece of engineering, and 
has been blasted out of the side of precipitous rocks, 
which rise a thousand or two thousand feet from 
the river. 

Thus they traveled westward, all November and 
December, till nearly Christmas. One day, when 
they had nearly passed the dangerous region, their 
boat struck suddenly on a submerged rock and rapidly 
began to fill. "All ashore," was the cry. The sink- 
ing boat was quickly brought to the bank, and as 
rapidly as possible passengers and crew unloaded it. 
Not only all the lives, but all their property was 
saved: the only serious damage being to a large con- 
signment of Scriptures, but even they were not un- 
salable. These and their other belongings they now 
proceeded to dry on shore, while the boatmen labored 
to make their little vessel water-tight. 

Thus Christmas passed happily enough, the grate- 
ful little party working by day unpacking and re- 
packing, and sleeping by night as best they could, 
with no better protection from wind and rain than 
their umbrellas ! 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 261 

At length, on December 29th, the boat was ready. 
They reembarked, none the worse for their trying 
experience. Again slowly they tracked up the 
stream, but before they had made much progress the 
rope broke, the mast snapped and with all the violence 
of the foaming stream they were plunged down the 
river at the mercy of the waves. Boatmen and pas- 
sengers strained every nerve at the oars, and at last 
they brought up at the side of the river, at the very 
spot where they had spent the Christmas week. 

This decided them to finish the journey by a safer 
route. A servant was sent ahead for sedan chairs, 
and in them they traveled overland the remaining 
stages of the journey to Chung-king. This great 
commercial emporium of the west was to be the home 
of the Xicolls. Here, accordingly, they made them- 
selves at home, warmly greeted by Riley and Samuel 
Clarke. Yery soon the forlorn-looking bachelor 
quarters took on a very different appearance. In a 
few days Mr. and Mrs. Nicoll had settled into their 
Chinese home. Here, also, Mr. and Mrs. George 
Clarke "rested" for a week: a week busy with 
crowds of women visitors, who came to call and 
to satisfy their curiosity about the women for- 
eigners. They came in such numbers that one 
or two hundred a day was the ordinary number 
iu the inner premises. (Later, during the two or 
three weeks' holiday which comes each 'New Year, 
not infrequently as many as five hundred would 
come in a day!) Thankful indeed were the workers 



262 THESE E0RTY YEARS. 

for this new field of service, and for the wide-open 
door to the hearts and homes of the people. But 
thankful as were the missionaries for this splendid 
opportunity, it is needless to say that Mrs. Mcoll fre- 
quently felt the strain to be almost more than she 
could bear. Indeed, sometimes she would faint right 
away in the midst of her visitors, who appreciated 
none the less the kindliness of the worker who was 
spending and being spent for them. One friend she 
had in particular, a dear old motherly lady, who 
would insist sometimes upon her coming and spend- 
ing the day in her home. Early morning would find 
the old lady's sedan chair at the door, and as soon as 
the missionary arrived she would take her into a quiet 
room, having dismissed the children and younger 
women, and quietly fan her to sleep, while she her- 
self kept guard. As soon as her loved visitor was 
quietly resting, she would steal away on her tiny feet 
to prepare a sumptuous dinner, as tempting as she 
knew how to provide. At other times, the kind old 
lady would cook some specially delicious dish and 
send it round to the Mission House to tempt the 
appetite of her weary friend. 

Thus, isolated from all her own friends and fellow- 
country women, Mrs. Mcoll was cheered by love and 
gratitude from the people amongst whom she had 
come to live. No wonder the work at times was tax- 
ing; she was the only woman missionary amongst the 
forty or sixty millions of that largest of the prov- 
inces ! 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 263 

It is easy to understand how much Mrs. Mcoll felt 
the parting when, a week after their arrival, the time 
came for Mr. and Mrs. George Clarke to continue 
their journey southward to the capital of Kuei-chau. 
The double wedding at Shanghai, the long journey 
together up river, with its vicissitudes and hardships, 
had knit their hearts together. But now they must 
part. Together she and Mrs. Clarke knelt in prayer 
and commended one another to the love and to the 
companionship of the Friend who is closer than a 
sister. 

Sedan chairs were hired, and away started Mr. and 
Mrs. George Clarke for a four weeks' journey to the 
south. By the good hand of God upon them, their 
difficult but quiet journey came safely to an end: and 
very warmly were they welcomed on their arrival at 
Kuei-yang by Mr. Broumton. Here for a while Mrs. 
Clarke was the only worker amongst the women of 
that province, a large proportion of whom, alas ! had 
become victims during recent years of the terrible 
opium habit. 

IsTot long, however, after the arrival at Kuei-yang 
of Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, two other ladies s tarted out 
to join them. Mr. and Mrs. William McCarthy, on 
their arrival in China about a year before, had 
been designated for Kuei-chau. The mid-summer 
heat of mid-China proved too much for Mr. McCar- 
thy, however, and after a brief illness he passed away 
with heat-apoplexy, beloved already and regretted by 
his fellow-workers. "His brief career has been a 



264 THESE FOBTY YEAKS. 

blessing to us all," said one. "I am a better man for 
having known him, though for so short a time." 

Thus early in her missionary life Mrs. McCarthy 
was left a widow. "We were going west together, 
and, God willing, I still will go," she determined. 
She volunteered and went. Miss Kidd and Mrs. Mc- 
Carthy left Wu-ch'ang in February, 1880. To avoid 
the dangers and perils of the journey up the rapids 
of the Yang-tse, it was decided to travel by the more 
direct route across Hu-nan. 

They traveled under the escort of Mr. Bailer, and 
were the first women to evangelize amongst the 
women of Hu-nan. This province had long been 
known, with that of Ho-nan farther north, as the 
most anti-foreign in China. And yet the Lord so 
prospered these pioneer women that they traveled in 
perfect safety, preaching to and visiting the women 
all along the way. "I like these Hu-nan women so 
much," wrote Miss Kidd. "They have been very 
kind, and most willing to receive us and to listen to 
our message. 'Why do you not stay to teach us?' 
they would ask at some places. 'Why do you go on 
to Kuei-chau? We, too, are longing to hear/ We 
were much struck all along our river journey through 
Hu-nan by the well-to-do appearance of the people 
and the remarkable beauty of the scenery." 

We can easily imagine what a welcome awaited the 
travelers when, having left their boat, a ten days' 
ride in chairs across the mountains brought them to 
Kuei-yang. 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 265 

A few months later a little son arrived to cheer the 
hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, but the first winter 
proved too much for the little one, and before Christ- 
mas his little place was empty. "The Lord gave ; 
the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name 
of the Lord!" — felt the stricken parents: and as 
they waited on God about the matter, the conviction 
formed and grew in their hearts that God had set 
them free to go still farther afield to the women of 
the unreached province beyond. Satisfied that this 
impression was of God, they wrote to Mr. Hudson 
Taylor, volunteering to work in the far southwestern 
province of Yun-nan. 

And now occurred one of those remarkable coinci- 
dences that so often happen in connection with 
prayer. On the Burman frontier of China, just be- 
yond Yun-nan, two members of the China Inland 
Mission had been laboring. Four years previously 
they had gone to Bhamo, in upper Burmah, hoping 
by that route to enter western China. Their way had 
been barred from an unexpected quarter. The Brit- 
ish authorities notified them that the journey across 
the mountains, among the wild Kah-chens and Shans, 
was too dangerous to be attempted; especially under 
the existing treaty relationship with China. Messrs. 
Stevenson and Soltau settled, therefore, in Bhamo, 
laboring not only amongst the Chinese merchants, 
but among the Burmese, the mountaineers and the 
Europeans in this cosmopolitan city. 

After long years of waiting, the way opened at last. 



266 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

An abandoned trade route was reopened, and the sec- 
ond caravan from Burmah into China counted among 
its number these patient travelers from the west. No 
serious vicissitudes befell them, and before 1880 
ended they arrived safely at Ta-li, the second city 
of Yun-nan. On the last night of the old year, 
Messrs. Stevenson and Soltau had a watch-night meet- 
ing together, and prayed most earnestly for workers 
to come and labor, not only for the men, but for the 
women also. Little did they dream that before their 
petition was registered on high, the answer was al- 
ready being prepared, six weeks' journey away, in 
Kuei-yang. 

But this was not all. The missionaries from Bur- 
mah traveled on across China, taking the northern 
route through Si-ch'uan. At Chong-king they met a 
man who owned a house in Ta-li and was willing to 
rent to them. The matter was referred to Mr. Tay- 
lor, who immediately closed with the offer. The deed 
of rental was duly forwarded to the Clarkes at Kuei- 
yang by the hand of the brother who came to succeed 
Mr. Clarke. 

Thus it came about that in the spring of 1881 Mr. 
and Mrs. George Clarke traveled westward to the 
province of Yun-nan, leaving their old home and the 
little grave, no doubt, with aching hearts, but longing 
to bring the knowledge of Jesus Christ to the people 
of Yun-nan, and praying that their sorrow might be 
the means of bringing joy to many hearts. Before 
mid-summer thev had reached Ta-li. 






THE EIKST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 267 

Their new home was delightfully situated, over- 
looking the city wall and enjoying a magnificent pan- 
orama of the high mountains and the lake. Unhap- 
pily, there were tenants already in possession, and 
they apparently considered that possession was nine 
points of the law, and they refused to move ! Great 
difficulty was caused, moreover, by the unfriendli- 
ness of the Roman Catholics, who hindered Mr. 
Clarke in every possible way, especially by spreading 
rumors which kept alive and intensified the people's 
habitual suspicion. Continued prayer was answered, 
however, and just before it became necessary to move 
from their first house, the short lease of six months 
expiring, one of the literati befriended them and 
rented them a house of his own, in which they were 
happily settled before Christmas. 

The new place was a great improvement on the old. 
Far more trying to the missionaries than mere per- 
sonal considerations was the terrible wickedness of 
the people. It seemed to them that they had come to 
stay in a modern Sodom or Gomorrah. 

Eext month a second station was opened in this 
province, at the capital, Yun-nan. From this point 
their nearest neighbors, Mr. Andrew and Mr. Eason, 
visited them six months later. What a joy it must 
have been to welcome fellow-workers at that lonely, 
distant post! After a very refreshing time of fellow- 
ship together, it was decided that the two younger 
brethren should remain at Ta-li for a time, exchang- 
ing places with Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, who went, re- 



208 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

gardless of inconvenience and danger, to occupy the 
new station at the capital. 

But at Yun-nan nobody would have anything to 
do with them. Their landlord wanted them to leave, 
and no one else would let them have a house. The 
Catholics were cordially hated at this center; and for 
a long time the people were unable to believe that 
Mr. Clarke was any different from the Eomanists. 
Mrs. Clarke had no visitors, nor could she secure a 
servant, but had to do everything for herself, even 
down to making her shoes. At this juncture a bright 
idea occurred to her, and she began distributing 
m any-colored picture text-cards among the children 
of the neighborhood, who soon became friendly, and 
then began to bring their mothers. This led the way 
to calls in return, and so the ice was broken. Mean- 
while, Mr. Clarke was making good progress amongst 
the men, preaching in different parts of the city, and 
selling tracts and Scriptures. 

Very glad, indeed, they were, however, after about 
a year at the capital, to return to their own station, 
Ta-li, where the beautiful mountain and lake scenery 
reminded Mrs. Clarke of her own loved home among 
the Alps of Switzerland. Toward the end of the 
summer in this year, 1883, another little son was 
born to the Clarkes, very, very welcome at their 
distant, lonely home. Happily, Mrs. Clarke and the 
little one did well; but about this time, Mr. Clarke 
was greatly disturbed by a vivid dream which came 
to him twice, to the effect that his wife and himself 



THE FIRST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 269 

were to be parted from each other. Before Mrs. 
Clarke's convalescence was complete, a turn for the 
worse took place : and after some days of suffering, on 
the 7th of October, she passed peacefully home. 

During the last hours, Mr. Clarke told her some- 
thing of what those years of happiness had meant to 
him, and how keenly he had appreciated the courage 
and devotion which had never flagged, in the face 
of such journey ings and such difficulties as she had 
met, year after year, so bravely. "ETo, do not 

flatter me," she whispered. "I am the least of all 
Christians. I feel that I have done less than any 
woman in the Mission." 

"Take care of my little son," she said to the Chi- 
nese nurse. And when the sun sank low that quiet 
Sunday evening, flooding the room with golden light, 
the weary, patient, loyal spirit rested in the arms of 
Him she loved so well. 

A letter, with inclosures, came for her next day 

from the far-off homeland; and in her lonely grave, 

outside the south gate of the city, she was laid to rest 

by loving hands, with fair Swiss flowers upon her 

breast. 

* * * * * * * . 

Meanwhile, other lady workers had been entering 
the newly-opened provinces, two more of which were 
opened to woman's work in the year 1881, besides 
the reinforcements who went up to Kuei-yang. 

In the month of January, 1881, the courageous 
Miss Wilson, whom we have followed up the Han 



270 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

to Han-chong, traveled on with Mr. and Mrs. George 
Parker to the remote province of Kan-suh, in the 
far northwest. Here they commenced work among 
the women of Ts ? in-chau; work which has continued 
ever since. (Now, 1902, Ts'in-chau is the most suc- 
cessful station in this difficult province.) This was 
in January. 

In December of the same year, Mr. Henry Hunt 
and his bride went up to the province of Ho-nan, and 
settled in the important pref ectural city of Ru-ning. 
They were not able, however, to stay very long; for 
evil rumors were circulated about them, which grew 
and became so serious that it was necessary, early 
in the following year, to retrace their steps to 
Han-kow. 

About midsummer of the year 1881, also, Mr. 
Broumton and his wife (formerly Mrs. William Mc- 
Carthy) returned to the capital of Kuei-chau, taking 
with them Miss Charlotte Kerr, and traveling again 
across Hu-nan, where, as before, they had many op- 
portunities of preaching to the women. 

Thus, then, in little more than three years, from 
October, 1878, to December, 1881, lady workers had 
settled in six of the newly-opened provinces, and had 
traveled and evangelized in two others, Ho-nan and 
Hu-nan. Woman's work in the far interior was 

no longer in the experimental stage. It had proved 
practicable : and from this time onward, work among 
the women went forward, in every part of the 
country, pari passu with work among the men. 



THE FIKST WOMEN TO GO INLAND. 271 

Tt is difficult now, when the work is so well estab- 
lished in every part of the country, to realize how 
much courage, how much real heroism and devotion 
it required to take these long journeys, and to settle 
in the hostile, heathen citadels of the far interior. 



CHAPTEE XII. 



AN IDEAL MISSIONARY. 

Meanwhile, there had arrived in China a new mis- 
sionary and his wife, for whose coming the Mission 
and the cause will forever be richer. 

Dr. Harold Schofield was a man of the rarest gifts 
— equally talented and devoted to the Lord Jesus. 
During his medical curriculum at Oxford, in London, 
and on the continent, he had achieved the highest 
success, winning in scholarships alone more than 
seven thousand dollars: a list of his degrees fills 
several lines of type. He himself was greater than 
his degrees. And he counted it gain to forsake 

all and follow Jesus. Urgently pressed by many 
to stay at home and make the most of his brilliant 
opportunities, he felt he could not, he must go where 
the need was greatest. 

The China Inland Mission had his sympathy; its 
one aim evangelization, its one means to everything 
prayer, were entirely to his mind. He was heartily 
accepted by the Council; and in May, 1880, at the 
age of twenty-nine, he and his bride — entirely one 
with him in heart and in spirit — sailed for China. 
They reached Shanghai at the end of June, and after 
a brief stay went on to Chef oo for the summer to con- 
serve strength while they worked at the language. 

272 



AN IDEAL MISSIONARY. 273 

The newly-opened doors in the far interior, the 
blessed opportunities for work among the women, 
and the courage and devotion of those early pioneers, 
both men and women, were cause to them for re- 
joicing and thanksgiving. They rejoiced in the good 
hand of God upon the work, and felt not a little en- 
couraged at the outset. The difficulties, the 
urgent need for more workers, and the shortness of 
funds did not distress them. They knew the Lord 
would provide what was needed for the advancement 
of His own great ends. 

After four months' study at the language, the time 
came to go inland; and they set out for the central 
northern province of Shan-si, in which the extensive 
famine relief work had resulted in exceptional oppor- 
tunities. Their destination, T'ai-yuan, the capital, is 
one of the most important cities in North China. To 
reach it, they crossed a lofty range of mountains, 
from which one descends gradually to the plateau, 
three thousand feet above the sea, near the northern 
end of which the city stands, an admirable vantage 
point for widespread influence. 

In this center they soon commenced their twofold 
work; Dr. Schofield being the only medical man in 
a province larger than England, with a population 
of, perhaps, ten million souls. His heart's desire 
had been to labor where the need was greatest. 
Surely, it was gratified! 

Dr. and Mrs. Schofield naturally felt, and were 
not alone in feeling, the need for more workers. 

18 



274 THESE FORTY YEARS, 

Especially during the closing months of this year, 
1880, prayer was going up throughout the Mission 
for reinforcements, and also for more means to carry 
on the work. 

His old friends would perhaps have been amused to 
see the doctor in his blue cotton gown and short black, 
wide-sleeved overcoat, with his black satin shoes, his 
shaven head and plaited queue: but the man had 
found his sphere. Dr. Schofield was entirely satis- 
fied with his field and with his opportunity. "To 
me it seems unutterably sad," he wrote, "that now, 
more than eighteen hundred years after the ascend- 
ing Saviour gave His great commission to 'go into all 
the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,' 
there should be hundreds of millions in this vast em- 
pire who have never so much as heard of Christ ! 

"When I was preparing to come to China . . . 
some of my best friends tried to dissuade me, on the 
plea that there was so much to be done at home. How 
much I wish that they, and all who use this argu- 
ment, could live here for awhile, and see and feel 
the need for themselves. They would then be dis- 
posed to ask, not whether I had a special call to go 
to China, but whether they have any special call to 
remain in England." 

The doctor's principal difficulty during the year 
1881 was to obtain sufficient time for the study of 
the language, in addition to his medical and evan- 
gelistic duties. Happily, his exceptional gifts stood 
him in good stead, and he made rapid progress; at 



AN IDEAL MISSIONARY. 275 

the same time carrying on, with characteristic enthu- 
siasm, his double service. In addition to the work of 
dispensary and hospital, which might well have ab- 
sorbed his time, Dr. Schofield made opportunities for 
preaching the Gospel throughout the city, in street, 
temple and teashop, wherever a hearing could be 
gained. 

"Did I tell you," one wrote of him, "what a capital 
street preacher Dr. Schofield is becoming? I often 
envy him the power. He reiterates a truth until 
some one takes it up and translates it into the local 
dialect, which is very different from the mandarin." 

"We are very happy," he wrote himself one day, 
"and I feel more thankful every day for the privilege 
of being permitted to labor for the Lord where the 
need is so great." 

The doctor wisely limited his indoor work as much 
as possible the first year, treating only about fifty 
in-patients, but thirty times as many out-patients. 
The following year, however, with a greatly im- 
proved grasp of the language, the doctor was able 
to attempt much more, and both in- and out-patients 
were doubled. The opportunities for work in the 
surrounding country and neighboring towns, which 
the medical work created, emphasized the need of 
reinforcements, for which Dr. Schofield daily prayed, 
especially during 1882. 

One of his patients, a blind man, laboriously made 
his way fifty miles to the capital. It took him half 
a month. First one eve and then the other was 



276 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

operated on for cataract, and with restored vision 
and a thankful heart the man returned, reaching 
home in two or three days. It was the keenest pleas- 
ure to the doctor to be able to relieve so much suffer- 
ing, and to bring the Gospel to bear for the first time 
upon so many lives. 

During this second year, 1882, thirty cases of sui- 
cide came under treatment. Of these, twenty-seven 
were by opium, a drug which has cursed Shan-si per- 
haps as much as any province in China. It is a com- 
mon saying among the people that "eleven men out of 
every ten" habitually use the drug. "Another year's 
experience," the doctor wrote, "deepens my convic- 
tion that opium smoking is a terrible curse, physi- 
cally, socially, and morally." 

The work soon outgrew the original premises. And 
an ever-widening circle of influence and of friends 
cheered the hearts of the workers. A little son and 
daughter, also, came to perfect the happiness of their 
home. 

"The good doctor" the people called him. He was 
equally beloved and trusted by missionaries and 
people. During the summer of 1883 the doctor gave 
much time to prayer, pleading particularly for rein- 
forcements and for greater blessing on the work. 
One petition, that was often on his lips, was that 
God would touch the hearts of young university men, 
and cultured and gifted women, and call them out 
into this needy field, where there was such ample 
scope for the largest and most varied gifts. He 



AN IDEAL MISSIONARY. 277 

'prayed for them. And he felt, and trusted God that 
they would come. And they did. 

Just at the height of the long, hot summer, a 
patient was brought to see the doctor, suffering from 
virulent diphtheria. Eeluctantly the doctor declined 
to keep him in the hospital, for the sake of the other 
patients. Somehow or other the man eluded the 
gatekeeper, and hid, and remained all night, in a 
room on a partly unoccupied courtyard. In the 
morning the doctor was called to see him, and found 
him dead. A few days later, the doctor himself was 
seriously unwell; and before long the temperature 
ran up high, and grave symptoms supervened. Every- 
thing that could be done under the circumstances 
was done. His constitution was good: he was young 
and vigorous. "God grant," they cried, "that he 
may pull through!" 

The beloved physician's own prayer, day by day, 
was for patience and that the will of God might be 
done. For a long, terrible week the high fever 

continued, and on the last day of July it began to 
run still higher, to 106 degrees, 107 degrees, 108 
degrees, and in the small hours of next morning he 
fell asleep. 

"Has the good doctor gone?" the people said. 
"Alas, alas!" Loving farewell he sent to Mr. 

Taylor and the Council . . . "Tell them these three 
years in China have been far the happiest of my 
life." 

It may be that through the story of his life and 



278 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

its crowning years of service in Shan-si the Lord will 
tonch the heart of some other gifted young physi- 
cian, calling him, or her, to turn from the pursuit 
of earth's emoluments and laurels, to win "a crown 
of glory that fadeth not away" in the service of the 
Master, in a land that has no doctors, and from 
which has been held back the knowledge of salvation 
for nineteen hundred years. Such will regret it as 
little as did the devoted Harold Schofield. 

Of all men in China, no one is so welcome and so 
readily received, even among those inclined to be 
hostile, as the missionary-doctor. He has the blessed 
privilege of following, closely, the footsteps of Him 
who went everywhere, "preaching the Gospel and 
healing the sick." In China, to-day (1902), there is 
but one medical missionary to each two millions of 
people. 

And no work is more remunerative in winning 
souls. The late Dr. McKenzie, of Tien-tsin, operated 
a upon the eyes of two girls in one family, and gave 
them sight, and then the mother was operated on 
successfully. She had never seen her children, and 
her delight and gratitude knew no bounds." As the 
result, all three were converted, the father also, and 
many others, and a successful church of a hundred 
or more is now to be found in their village. 

Christ commands it. Pity demands it. And ex- 
perience has proved its use. 



CHAP TEE XIII. 



"other seventy also." 



As we have seen, about the time that Dr. and Mrs. 
Schofield went inland to commence their medical mis- 
sion in Shan-si, much prayer went up to God for rein- 
forcements, and for more abundant funds. For a 
time it almost seemed as if no answer came. Far 
from losing heart, however, a spirit of intercession 
seemed to rest upon the missionaries, and still more 
earnest prayer ascended the following fall. A special 
meeting was called at Wu-ch ? ang, central China, for 
the purpose of waiting upon God. As many mem- 
bers of the Mission as practicable were invited for 
several days of prayer and conference. 

At that time about a hundred members of the 
Mission were working in seventy stations and out- 
stations. Laborers, women as well as men, had set- 
tled in the far interior, but .there was yet very much 
land to be possessed; and open doors, never open be- 
fore, were inviting the Church to obey her Lord's last 
command and evangelize the nations. 

It was a strange contrast at Wu-ch'ang — that im- 
mense heathen city, the seat of the viceroy of the 
two central provinces, Hu-peh and Hu-nan, with its 
busy life, its commerce, its gayety, its idol worship 
and all its misery and degradation on the one hand: 

,279 



280 THESE EOETY YEABS. 

and that company of men and women, few and un- 
known, with no strength or might whatever but the 
strength which comes from knowing God ! There 

they gathered, and prayed, and took counsel together 
before the Lord. What would He have them to do?. 

Through His blessing every effort of the Mission 
thus far had been crowned with success. The work 
of unordained missionaries and of lady evangelists 
had been sealed with approval and blessing from the 
King of kings. Souls had been won and churches 
founded in many scattered centers through the coun- 
try; but what had been done was as nothing to the 
work that remained. What were six hundred Prot- 
estant missionaries, all told, including the little band 
of a hundred or more in the China Inland Mission, to 
four hundred millions of proud, superstitious, bigoted 
heathen? Surely the Lord was purposing to do 
greater things than these ! Very earnestly they asked 
the Lord, "What wouldst Thou have us to do?" 

The needs of each province and of each station 
were considered in detail: two were urgently needed 
here to reinforce a work that had been specially 
prospered; four were needed there in a distant prov- 
ince to open two new stations; a married couple were 
required to relieve two workers who had grown weary 
through the climate and the multitudes of sin-sick 
souls that crowded round to listen. One by one the 
opportunities and openings were carefully considered ; 
and the conclusions arrived at, after much prayer and 
waiting upon God, were recorded by the secretary. 



"other seventy also." 281 

When they added up the long list, it appeared that 
seventy new workers were urgently needed. 

But what could they do? For some years funds 
had been low and suitable missionary candidates few 
and far between. Certainly there were difficulties, 
probably more than immediately appeared; but two 
things were certain: one, that they had been 
earnestly waiting on God for guidance with reference 
to His work entrusted to them; and the other, that 
they had felt unanimously guided of Him to desire 
these reinforcements. They had asked God to make 
His will clear, to show them what to pray for; and if 
they had been guided of Him, as they believed, they 
might with all confidence pray for the seventy 
workers needed, assured that He Who had prompted 
the prayer would also grant the petition. It would 
not be possible, however, with their present equip- 
ment — with the then existing premises and staff — to 
receive and train and escort to their various stations 
so large a number at once. They prayed, therefore, 
with this in mind, that the Lord would graciously 
send the seventy within three years — 1882, 1883, 
1884. Funds were short, applicants were few, but 
God Almighty, the hearer and answerer of prayer, 
was with them, and on November 25, 1881, they 
spread out their list and their petition before the 
Lord with one mind and one heart. 

An appeal was then drawn up and forwarded to 
each member of the Mission for prayerful considera- 
tion, and, if they cordially approved, for signature. 



282 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

After referring to the terrible needs of China, so well 
known on the field, and to the awful famine in the 
north in which so many had perished for lack of the 
earthly bread, it went on to say : "Provinces in China 
compare in area with kingdoms in Europe. . . . One 
province has no missionary, another has only one, an 
unmarried man ; in each of two other provinces only 
one missionary and his wife are resident, and none 
are sufficiently supplied with laborers. Can we leave 
matters thus without incurring the sin of bloodguilti- 
ness?" 

It then went on to invite the Church of God at 
home to join in "fervent, effectual prayer" for more 
workers for every Society, of the Old World or New, 
which was working in China ; and for the China In- 
land Mission forty-two men and twenty-eight women 
to continue and enlarge the work. 

"We are not anxious as to means for sending them 
forth or sustaining them. He has told us to look at 
the birds and the flowers, and to take no thought for 
these things. . . . But we are concerned that only 
men and women called of God, fully consecrated . . . 
should come out to join us." Seventy-seven members 






of the Mission joined in this appeal, which was sent 
home for publication in China's Millions and other 
suitable papers. 

It was not long before the answer began to come. 
Early next year the first party of the seventy arrived, 
and slowly others followed. Funds, however, con- 
tinued to be short, and toward the end of this year 



OTHER SEVENTY ALSO. 283 

1882 a good many in the homeland began to be trou- 
bled about the whole matter, wondering whether the 
time had really come for such advance. Was the 
thing of God, after all? 

Hearing of this feeling, a little group of workers 
at Chef oo joined Mr. Taylor about the end of Janu- 
ary or beginning of February, in special prayer. 
"We knew," said Mr. Taylor, "that our Father loves 
to please His children. What father does not? And 
we asked Him lovingly to please us, as well as en- 
courage the timid ones, by leading one of His 
wealthy stewards to make room for a large blessing 
for himself and his family by giving liberally for 
this special object." Of this little private meeting at 
Chefoo no record was kept and no word sent home: 
or, if any, it was telegraphed home by way of the 
central station before the throne of God. 

On February 2nd there was sent in, without any 
name, about fifteen thousand dollars for this purpose. 
It was sent with these details written under the text 
beginning, "Ask of Me and I shall give thee:" 

Father £1,000 

Mother 1,000 

Mary 200 

Eosie 200 

Bertie 200 

Amy 200 

Henry 200 

£3,000 



284 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

"Notice how liberally God had fulfilled our prayer 
and led His servant to make room for a large blessing 
for himself and his family. Never before had a 
donation been received and acknowledged in this 
way. A beautiful instance of a loving father who 
seeks that his children shall have treasure in heaven!" 

Gift after gift of funds came in, and far more im- 
portant, "willing, skillful workers" offered, were 
tested and selected and sent forth to the field. "We 
had prayed in faith," wrote Mr. Taylor, "and made 
our boast in God. When the time elapsed, were we 
put to shame? Nay, verily!" This, and more also, 
God did for us. "Exceeding abundantly, above all 
that ye ask," is His way of answering believing 
prayer. During the three years, 1882-84, seventy- 
six workers arrived in China, and yet others were 
accepted, whose outgoing was delayed on account of 
the Franco-Chinese War. 

Not only were the workers sent; but they were the 
very kind of workers that had been asked. Among 
them were three medical men and not a few others 
who have become prominent members of the Mis- 
sion. The last party included Miss Murray and her 
sister, who have rendered such invaluable service in 
the Training Home at Yang-chau, and several of the 
leaders in a new venture of faith among the women 
of China. 



CHAPTEE XIV. 



A NEW SPHERE FOR WOMAN. 

Thus far, woman's work in China had been con- 
siderably restricted. In every sphere of service 
it is important to consider the prejudices of the 
people; and in the Orient every young woman is 
married, almost without exception; and women under 
forty, except among the poorest classes, are seldom, 
if ever, seen outside their husbands' homes. The 
people in the interior seldom travel far, with the ex- 
ception of the relatively small classes of road coolies, 
merchants and mandarins; and among those who do 
travel, only the officials usually take their ladies with 
them. 

If the coming, then, of the missionaries' wives 
seems strange, how much stranger must be the ar- 
rival of young unmarried women! The fact is, the 
whole system of Christianity is strange and novel in 
China. The conduct of the missionaries, all of them, 
in coming so far from home, with no tangible object 
(as it seems to many), provokes surprise. But it is 
only a nine days' wonder, after all, and there are no 
people more ready and more accustomed to acknowl- 
edge unaccountable facts than the Chinese. 

The early years of the Mission's history had proved 
that single ladies could do a blessed work among the 

285 



286 THESE EOETY YEAES. 

women, from which the hands of married women 
were partly hindered by the claims of home and 
family. Moreover, women in China have a position 
which it is not very easy for a foreigner to under- 
stand. Being the weaker, they too often go to the 
wall, as in every heathen country in the world ; and 
where they have no strong relatives to defend them, 
the younger women especially often suffer unspeak- 
ably. And yet, woman has a place and a power in 
China which is not accorded her in any other non- 
Christian land. In the first place, the very seclusion 
of the women in their homes, among the great ma- 
jority of the people, is a protection; a protection, the 
need for which it is hardly possible to estimate away 
from heathen surroundings. Then, again, the mother 
of a family, especially the mother of sons, will be 
the object of worship after death to the children, 
equally with their father. And while she lives she 
is respected, and consulted about many things that 
concern the home. Indeed, in many cases where the 
wife shows any degree of ability, the affairs of the 
household are left largely to her control. Thus are 
developed characteristics of self-reliance and of 
power which would command respect in any land. 

When, then, into the homes of the people young 
missionary women enter, with hearts full of love, the 
bearers of tidings of incredible gladness and comfort 
to these isolated lives, their kindliness, their help- 
fulness, their manifest sincerity soon win a place in 
the esteem of the community. 



A NEW SPHERE FOR WOMAN. 287 

In the spring of 1886, Mr. Taylor, accompanied 
by Miss Murray, her sister, and one or two others, 
took a memorable journey through two provinces. 
Starting from H'ang-chau, they journeyed across 
the Cheh-kiang province, over the mountains into 
Kiang-si, and down the Kuang-sin river to Kiu-kiang, 
a populous port on the Yang-tse. 

Before we trace their journey, let us look back a 
decade; for work had been started among those 
mountains and along the Kuang-sin river, in a deeply 
interesting way. In 1875, Dr. and Mrs. Douthwaite 
commenced a medical mission in the city of Kiu-chau, 
Cheh-kiang, at the foot of the mountains. Its fame 
soon spread abroad: and from near and far the pa- 
tients came, hearing, of course, the Gospel from the 
doctor and his assistants. 

That same year, in the neighboring city of Kin- 
hwa, Dr. Douthwaite met a remarkable man: a 
captain in the army during the T'ai-p'ing rebellion, 
he had become a Buddhist devotee, and for years had 
been preaching the tenets of a reformed Buddhist 
sect. Traveling extensively, and taking neither 
money nor provisions for the way, this man had 
preached his "new religion," and hundreds, and in- 
deed, thousands had joined the ranks. Earnest, gen- 
tlemanly, fearless, his influence was felt wherever he 
went. In him Dr. Douthwaite found at once an eager 
listener, and soon a true believer. ISText year the man 
applied for baptism, saying: "I believe what you tell 
me of the God of Heaven is true, and that all my 



288 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

preaching for twenty years has been in vain. I 

have led hundreds on the wrong road, and now I want 
to lead them in the way of Truth. Let me go out to 
preach. I ask no wages. I want no money. I only 
seek to serve the Lord Jesus." 

The doctor bade him Godspeed, and sent him out 
into Kiang-si. Two weeks later he returned with a 
jovial looking farmer, named Liang, who exclaimed, 
as he met the missionary, "I have been seeking the 
Truth for forty years, and only now have found it — 
found it through you." 

He wanted to be baptized at once. Delay and 
further teaching were advised, as usual, but the old 
man would take no denial. He was old. Who 
knew ? He might never be able to come again. "No, 
teacher," he said, "I am ready. I believe everything 
you say, and there is no reason why I should not be 
baptized." "I did not see any reason myself," wrote 
Dr. Douthwaite, "so I baptized him, and he went 
home rejoicing in his new-found Friend." Ere 

long he returned with six or seven neighbors, who 
had given up idolatry, and accepted Christ through 
his means; and later, nine others were brought in 
through them. 

Little companies of Christians were gathered in 
this way through the work of Captain Yu. He car- 
ried his own bed, as many do in China, and preached 
the Gospel wherever he could gain a hearing. One 
day a young farmer, walking with him toward Yuh- 
shan, kindly offered to carry the old man's bundle for 



A NEW SPHERE FOR WOMAN. 289 

a spell. In return, the old Christian told him the 
Glad Tidings and gave him a New Testament, urging 
him to read it. "Young Tung went home some 
twenty miles to Ta-yang, fully convinced of the truth 
of the Gospel, and straightway began to preach him- 
self. When I visited him there, nine months later, 
I found that every man and woman in the village 
had heard the Gospel, and for thirty miles around 
many of the peasants had also been reached." 

The young man's brother was about to be married, 
and both his family and the bride's desired a Chris- 
tian wedding. Dr. Douthwaite accordingly married 
them — the first Christian wedding in that province, 
probably. Next year Dr. Douthwaite had the joy 
of baptizing fifteen in that village. 

Thus the good work was started around the upper 
waters of the Kuang-sin river, and continued to grow 
during the years which followed, a chapel being 
rented meanwhile in one of the suburbs of Yuh-shan, 
to which a resident native missionary was duly ap- 
pointed. By the year 1885 there were fifty con- 
verts connected with this little church, but still no 
foreign worker. 

Before this time, Dr. and Mrs. Douthwaite had 
been transferred to the increasingly important center 
at Chefoo, where the medical work and his wise judg- 
ment and true spirituality made him a power for 
good. Mr. and Mrs. David Thompson took charge 
of the Kiu-chau work in 1885, and they were joined 
in the fall by two of the last party of the seventy, 



290 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Miss Mackintosh and Miss Gibson. Here the ladies 
continued their study of the language, having been 
out less than a year; and spent half their time, as is 
the custom in the Mission, in the native work, visit- 
ing the homes of the women and carrying on a school 
for the girls. 

After some months of study and work, Miss Gibson 
was feeling considerably wearied and not very well, 
and was recommended to go away for a week's rest 
to the beautiful out-station of Ch'ang-shan, among 
the mountains. 

She went, and was welcomed by a dozen native 
Christians, all men, who were delighted that their 
station should have a visit from a lady missionary; 
for they, poor fellows, had been having an excep- 
tionally difficult time. Not a single woman had been 
converted, and if they attempted to pray in their 
own homes, their wives made so much fun and so 
much noise that prayer was utterly impossible. Real- 
izing that seasons of prayer were indispensable to 
their Christian life, the men took counsel together, 
and hired a little place where they could be alone 
with God, and might meet for worship on Sundays. 
They had argued with their wives; they had used 
every means they could think of to win them to the 
Saviour, but without avail. The women would have 
"none of their nonsense." 

As soon as it became known that Miss Gibson had 
arrived, curiosity, a leading characteristic of most 
Chinese women, got the better of hostility, and they 



A SEW SPHEBE FOR WOMAN. 291 

came to pay their respects to the solitary foreigner. 
No detail of Miss Gibson's appearance or dress es- 
caped their scrutiny. After all the curious questions 
were answered, Miss Gibson of course improved the 
occasion by telling them of One they ought to know, 
One Who had brought a message of comfort and 
peace and joy, which should gladden the hearts of 
women all over the world. Tenderly and lovingly 
she preached to them Jesus. 

It sounded strangely different, this story which 
their husbands had told them in fragments, but which 
now a sister told them so gently and with such mani- 
fest sympathy and kindness. Their hearts went out 
to the lonely worker and they did their best to make 
her feel at home. "You will not be lonely," they 
said. "We will take care that you shall not be lonely 
as long as you stay with us." 

And they did. Evening came on and still her vis- 
itors remained. She talked with them as long as she 
had strength, and then suggested that perhaps it was 
time for them to go home. But no; their husbands 
knew where they were, and would not be anxious. It 
was all right. They were in no hurry. And finally 
Miss Gibson had to retire from sheer exhaustion with 
them still in her room, and laughingly said, as she 
blew out the light: "Now you cannot see me any 
more. You had better go home and come again to- 
morrow, when I will tell you more about Jesus, the 
Friend of all who need Him." And laughing, they 
went away. 



292 THESE FORTY YEAR9 

Early next morning they came, sure enough. Day 
after day Miss Gibson was kept busy from morning 
till night preaching the Gospel to the women of 
Ch'ang-shan. She was sent there for change and rest. 
Change she certainly had: but the only rest she ob- 
tained was the heart rest of knowing that these 
women were now receiving, and many of them gladly 
receiving, the good tidings of eternal life. 

When Mr. Taylor and his party, after crossing 
Cheh-kiang, reached this district, they were joined 
at Kiu-chau by Miss Mackintosh and Miss Gibson. 
After a brief stay, the journey was continued, and 
the first out-station they came to was this Ch'ang- 
shan. 

Here the Christians gathered around Mr. Taylor. 
(It was some weeks after Miss Gibson's visit.) And 
there gathered an equal number of women and of 
men. On previous visits men only had welcomed the 
missionary : now they and their wives seemed equally 
eager to greet him! "If," said the men to Mr. Tay- 
lor, "the visit of a woman missionary among us for a 
single week can bring about such a change as this, 
what would not result if we had such a missionary all 
to ourselves!" 

They wanted Mr. Taylor to assign them a worker 
at once. This was more than he could promise. Such 
a thing had never been heard of as single ladies going 
alone to take charge of a station in China. Finding 
that Mr. Taylor could not promise them a worker 
right away, still they pleaded, "Well, will you 



A NEW SPHERE FOR WOMAN. 293 

pray?" and Mr. Taylor gave them his word that he 
would. 

Farther on, over the border, the party of mission- 
aries found the little church at Yuh-shan in a very 
feeble and unsatisfactory condition. Still farther, as 
they traveled down the Kuang-sin river, they found a 
little group of inquirers none of whom had been bap- 
tized, and nothing whatever had been done for the 
women. At the city of Ih-yang their hearts went out 
to the crowds of people without the Light, and they 
prayed God to open a station there. Still lower, at 
Kwei-k'i, they were present at the baptism of the first 
convert, but here also nothing had been attempted 
for the women. Here and there were little compa- 
nies of Christians, but they were as sheep without a 
shepherd; and millions of souls all around were still 
waiting for the Tidings which had been their birth- 
right for many centuries. 

There were no men available to take up this work. 
There were a few women. Miss Gibson had been 
prospered of the Lord during her visit at Ch'ang- 
shan; why should not similar and longer visits of 
lady workers be equally blessed in winning souls? 
After much thought and prayer, it was determined 
to make the experiment. And very earnestly were 
these brave pioneers commended to the safe-keeping 
of Him Who never slumbers nor sleeps. Native pas- 
tors, trained and ready for the work, were sent out 
with them. Miss Mackintosh was appointed to work 
at and around Yuh-shan, and three other ladies also 



294 THESE FORTY YEARS 

went forward to this work — Miss Webb and Miss 
Gray to the lower reaches of the river, and Miss 
Byron to Ch'ang-shan. 

It must have been a touching sight to see these 
four workers starting out from Kiu-kiang on a little 
native houseboat on their untried way. Brave hearts 
and full of faith they must have had to do it! 

Very conspicuously did the blessing of God rest 
upon the labors of these women and others who fol- 
lowed. Mr. Hudson Taylor has often said that, to 
his mind, no station in the Mission is more entirely 
satisfactory than one of the 'ladies' stations" that 
were opened the next few years along the Kuang-sin 
river. 

The work was carried on by lady evangelists and 
native pastors, and by that very fact the Christian 
men were all the more developed. What the women 
missionaries could not and would not do, they must. 
More than in most stations the strength of the native 
churches was developed and a blessed work of God 
went forward through that region. The work at 
Kwei-k'i has grown until now the parent station is 
surrounded by twenty or more daughter churches in 
neighboring villages and towns, vigorous out-stations 
worked almost entirely by unpaid native helpers. 
And most of the chapels have been provided by the 
native Christians unaided. 

This matter of an efficient native agency has long 
been recognized as the central problem in the evan- 
gelization of the great heathen nations. And in this 



A NEW SPHEEE FOB WOMAN. 295 

way, somewhat unexpectedly, it received one of its 
solutions. 

It was mid-summer, 1886, when these four ladies 
started across the Po-yang lake and up the Kuang-sin 
river to their new sphere of service. For some 
months Miss Mackintosh worked in the district 
around Yuh-shan, traveling and visiting the homes 
of the Christians and preaching the Gospel to the 
women wherever she went, while native helpers 
worked among the men; and it was not until Janu^ 
ary of the following year, 1887, that she obtained a 
settled home in Yuh-shan. 

Two or three months later, in the spring, Miss 
Gibson was stationed at Ho-k'eo, and Mr. Hudson 
Taylor's daughter, Miss M. H. Taylor, settled at 
Kwei-k'i. Miss Webb and Miss Gray, on their first 
arrival, also lived chiefly in boats and traveled 
widely. What difficulties they had to face! What 
crowds gathered round them! "Are they really 
women?" was a question often asked. Mute with 
terror, one villager vanished into her house on seeing 
them, and returned with an old woman, wild-eyed 
and rake in hand, to meet any possible attack. 

Often friendly women would escort them from 
house to house as they went about their blessed busi- 
ness, saying eagerly as they introduced them to fresh 
groups of listeners, "Tell them too. Tell them 
too." "They always listen so anxiously," Miss 

Webb says, "to know if the good news is really for 
them," Difficulties there were indeed, many 



296 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

and great, but the Lord was with the workers. And 
He conquers all. 

A worker from another part of China, visiting the 
station at Yuh-shan some two or three years later, 
wrote enthusiastically of the work, and was greatly 
refreshed in spirit by her fellowship with the Chris- 
tians, who now numbered more than a hundred — 
every one of them intimately known by the frail but 
indefatigable Miss Mackintosh. The visitor was 
greatly pleased, also, with the perfect sympathy 
which evidently existed between the missionary and 
the pastor, Mr. Chang. 

"I never do anything without consulting him," she 
said, "and the consequence is that he is equally open 
with me, and we share all the burdens together. The 
people are aware of this. They know he tells me 
everything and that I always seek his advice, what- 
ever the question may be." 

New converts were added to the churches, and new 
circles entered year by year; and the work has con- 
tinued to grow ever since. That chain of women's 
stations has long passed the stage of experiment, and 
now, not only in Kiang-si, but in many other prov- 
inces, are to be found settled stations under the care 
of lady workers, assisted by native pastors, who take 
the lead in all the meetings of the church, while the 
sisters labor and pray continually for the blessing of 
God on the pastors, on their wives and on the work. 
Periodical visits are paid to all these stations by the 
Superintendent of the province, and to his judgment 



A NEW SPHERE FOE WOMAN. 297 

all questions of difficulty are referred. Within the 
last two or three years a married missionary has been 
located at one of the principal Kuang-sin stations. 

Is there any country in the world with a greater 
field for consecrated women, or a greater need, than 
China ? 



CHAPTER XV. 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 

As we have seen, the years 1882, 1883 and 1884 
witnessed the answer to definite united prayer in the 
outgoing of more than seventy workers in the China 
Inland Mission, and that, in addition to those who 
went, there were others accepted but kept back for a 
season by the Franco-Chinese War. 

Among the latter were seven young men, whose 
departure for China attracted more than usual in- 
terest. This was called forth, not so much by the 
work they went to do, as by the men that went to 
do it. The two leaders were widely known through- 
out the British Isles as men of physical prowess: 
Stanley Smith having been the stroke oar of the Cam- 
bridge eight, and Charles Studd not only the captain 
cricketer of the Cambridge eleven, but also, perhaps, 
the finest gentleman bowler in the world. Five of the 
seven, including these, were graduates of Cambridge, 
and the remaining two were officers in crack regi- 
ments, the "Royal Artillery" and "Dragoon Guards.' 7 
Their outgoing naturally attracted attention, espe- 
cially that of young university students, to whom the 
names of Stanley Smith and Charlie Studd were as 
household words. 

But for those who knew them, thev had another 

298 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 299 

and a greater attraction. They were men of spiritual 
power, and relied upon the guidance and the blessing 
of the Holy Spirit in all they said and did, and their re- 
nunciation of home and the brilliant prospects around 
them, to go and "bury themselves" in the heart of 
China, among an uncultured, unsympathetic and, in- 
deed, hostile heathen people, was but part of the 
whole — an entire personal devotion to the Lord 
Jesus Christ Himself, which led them to desire, above 
all things, to do His will, and to gratify the longings 
of His heart. 

Their farewell meeting in London crowded one of 
its largest halls : and one who was present wrote, after 
referring to the athletic and other records of the 
men, "It was a sight to stir the heart, and a striking 
testimony to the power of the uplifted Christ to draw 
to Himself, not the weak, the emotional and the illit- 
erate only, but all that is noblest in strength and finest 
in culture. 

"As we stood among that vast audience, we could 
not but be struck by the intense earnestness, the en- 
thusiasm for Jesus Christ, and the overflowing hap- 
piness of these outgoing missionaries. It is no un- 
worthy prospect, surely, no mean ambition which has 
called forth all that is best and deepest in these young 
and consecrated lives." 

And the purpose and the consecration which were 
read in their faces, and breathed through their words 
that evening, have lived and borne fruit in the years 
that have followed. For all of them are still engaged 



300 THESE FORTY YEAES. 

in missionary service. One, under urgent medical 
necessity, has changed his field, at any rate for a 
time. The other six remain to-day valued members 
of the China Inland Mission; one, Lieutenant 
Hoste, being the Acting General Director during Mr. 
Taylor's comparative ill-health; another having been 
consecrated Bishop of Western China by the Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury, and superintending not only 
a considerable number of the Episcopal members of 
the China Inland Mission, but also their fellow- 
workers of the Church Missionary Society, who are 
laboring in this inland diocese. 

"We do not go to that far field," said Stanley 
Smith that evening, "to tell of doctrines merely, but 
of a living, present Christ. . . . From the Cross of 
Calvary the face of Jesus still cries, 'I thirst.' 

"Ah, that divine thirst! It has not yet been 
quenched; it has hardly begun to be quenched. He 
thirsts for the Chinese, Africans, Hindus, South 
Americans. Are there none here who would fain 
quench His thirst? 

"David thirsted for the waters of Bethlehem, and 
three of his followers broke through the ranks of 
the enemy, and, at the risk of their lives, brought 
him this water. Shall not this Mightier than David 
have His thirst quenched to-night ? Shall not the Man 
of Sorrows have His great heart rejoiced by men and 
women offering themselves for the work of spreading 
the glorious Gospel ? Christ yearns over this earth. 
What are we going to do? 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 301 

"And now a last word. ... To each He comes 
with tender love, and pointing to the wounds in His 
pierced side, He asks, 'Lovest thou me?' 

" 'Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee/ 
What is the test of love ? 'Ye are my friends if ye 
do whatsoever I command you.' 

" 'What, Master, do You command V 'Go ye into 
all the world, and preach the Gospel to every 
creature.' " 

A year and a half before, a lonely worker was 
kneeling, away in the heart of North China, pouring 
out his soul to God in prayer. His wife passing 
across the open courtyard, heard the burden of his 
prayer — that God would call forth reinforcements, 
especially men of the highest gifts and attainments, 
young men from British universities. 

This prayer was constantly upon the lips and in the 
heart of Dr. Harold Schofield during the last months 
of his life at T'ai-yuan. Before that same year, 1883, 
ended, Stanley Smith had written to Mr. Hudson 
Taylor, volunteering for missionary service in China, 
and a few months later the others followed. Who 
can doubt that this "Cambridge Band" was God's 
answer to His servant's prayer? 

During the journey to China, both on the steamer 
and at the ports of call, these missionaries were used 
of God in winning souls; and also after their arrival 
in China, among the English-speaking residents at 
Shanghai, Pekin and elsewhere. 



302 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

But not only thus did God set His seal upon His 
servants. Before they left home, they visited the 
principal universities of England and Scotland, and 
were the means in God's hands of bringing about a 
great revival, both of Christian life and of missionary 
interest, especially at Edinburgh. 

Dr. Moxey, of Edinburgh, wrote, shortly after the 
party sailed for China, "The event that has precipi- 
tated the shower of blessing that has fallen in our 
midst, is the visit of the two young Christian evan- 
gelists from Cambridge, who are now on their way 
to preach Christ to the Chinese. Students, like other 
young men, are apt to regard professedly religious 
men of their own age as wanting in manliness, unfit 
for the river or the cricket field, and only good for 
psalm-singing and pulling long faces; but the big, 
muscular hands and the long arms of the ex-captain 
of the Cambridge eight, stretched out in pleading, 
while he eloquently told the old story of redeeming 
love, capsized their theories." 

At Oxford and Cambridge also a great impression 
was made. From the latter a delegation of forty 
students was sent up to the farewell meeting at 
Exeter Hall in London, to which reference has 
already been made. Their spokesman said at that 
meeting: "Since I have been in this hall it has been 
said to me, 'What a pity that such men should be go- 
ing abroad. We want them here at home. Those who 
have distinguished themselves as they have, could 
win young men to Christ, and do a work that others, 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 303 

less known, cannot accomplish.' And he went on to 
add: ( I hope it will be for the best.' 

"Now, sirs, I do not hope it. I thank God that I 
know it is for the best. I know what their going out 
lias done for me. I know what it has done for Cam- 
bridge. . . . We had meetings in room after 
room night by night at Cambridge, and at one over 
forty men stood up and gave themselves to mission- 
ary work." 

A correspondent of the Record, writing of the 
farewell meeting which had been held at Cambridge, 
at which large numbers of students were present, 
wondered, as he sat in that meeting, what it could 
be in the China Inland Mission which had attracted 
to it such men as these. "My main reasons, after all, 
reduced themselves to one: the uncompromising 
spirituality and unworldliness of the program of the 
Mission responded to by hearts that have laid all at 
the Lord's feet." 

On February 5th, 1885, Stanley Smith and Charles 
Studd and their companions sailed for China, fol- 
lowed by the kind wishes and prayers of perhaps a 
larger number of Christian students in England and 
Scotland than had ever before taken interest in out- 
going missionary workers. 

On their arrival in China their heads were shaved, 
as usual, the Chinese dress donned, borrowed queues 
attached to their red-buttoned Chinese skull caps 
(until their own hair should grow), and the study 
of the language was entered upon in earnest. Three 



304 THESE FORTY YEAfcS. 

went west, up the great Yang-tse river; and four 
went north to the province in which Dr. Schofield 
had labored and prayed and died. 

The unusual friendliness of the people, due, as we 
have seen, to the famine relief work a few years be- 
fore, and due at the capital to the medical work of 
the indefatigable Dr. Schofield, made this appoint- 
ment a wise one, and gave exceptional opportunities 
to the newcomers. 

At the time of their arrival, in addition to the two 
stations of the China Inland Mission — T'ai-yuan in 
the center of the province, and P'ing-yang in the 
south — the American Board had recently com- 
menced work at T'ai-ku, forty miles from the capital. 
But three stations among ten millions of people, and 
they as willing and ready to receive the Gospel as 
any in China. One is reminded of the children of 
Israel and of their first arrival in the promised land. 
God had begun to give it, but they were so slow to 
"go in and possess." When will the Church enter 
upon its heritage and claim the promise given to its 
Master: "Ask of Me and I shall give thee the heathen 
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the 
earth for thy possession" ? 

In the south of the province at the time of the 
arrival of these missionaries, signs of coming bless- 
ing were abundantly apparent, especially in and 
around the city of P'ing-yang. Six years before, the 
Bev. David Hill had been engaged in famine relief 
in that district, and had come in contact with a man 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 305 

of remarkable gifts, but a slave to opium, and a 
moral and physical wreck in consequence. 

Mr. Hill had offered a prize of fifty ounces of 
silver to the man who would write the best essay on 
certain Christian subjects, the necessary books being 
supplied gratuitously. At the same time three lesser 
prizes were offered for the second, third and fourth 
essays, in order of merit. This opium habitue, a 
gentleman farmer of the name of Hsi, and a distin- 
guished scholar, not only carried off the first prize, 
but also, by essays which he had written for personal 
friends, had won for them, it transpired afterwards, 
the second and third prizes! 

David Hill made a point of seeing the successful 
scholar, and gradually, by kindliness and courtesy, 
disarmed his prejudice, encouraged him to study the 
Scriptures further, and ere long had the joy of see- 
ing him turn wholeheartedly to the Lord. 

~No sooner was Hsi converted than he began to 
work. He was a man who could do nothing by 
halves. From his lips his aged mother and the other 
members of his family heard the Gospel; and, still 
more important, saw the Truth manifested in his 
consistent life. Working sometimes with David Hill 
in the city, sometimes at home among his fellow- 
villagers, and in other places as opportunity offered, 
Mr. Hsi left no doubt as to the reality of his having 
turned to God. 

David Hill did not make a long stay in the prov- 
ince. As soon as the famine began to pass away he 
20 



306 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

returned to his own sphere of service in and around 
Han-kow. After he left, the work at P'ing-yang 
was carried on for a time by Mr. Turner, and two 
years later by Mr. Samuel Drake. As soon as it 
was practicable to organize the little church, Mr. Hsi 
was ordained an elder with the entire approval of 
the Christians, among whom he had already proven 
himself a leader. 

During the years 1882 to 1885, Mr. and Mrs. 
Drake conducted the work at P'ing-yang with much 
wisdom, developing the natural gifts of the mem- 
bers, and encouraging them to take a large part in 
the work. The church grew slowly, and in 1884 still 
numbered but fifty adults, for great caution was ex- 
ercised in admitting new members in order that the 
church might be pure, and therefore strong. !N*o 
one was admitted to fellowship until he had proved 
his faith by a year of consistent living. 

There were, in addition, a considerable number of 
recognized inquirers, men and women who, having 
abandoned idolatry, were regularly attending public 
worship, either in the city or in their villages, in 
twenty of which, even at this early date, little 
gatherings of believers met week by week. There 
were, by this time, not less than three hundred reg- 
ular attendants at the various Sunday services. 

When Mr. Hsi was converted he saw clearly, at 
once, that the opium pipe must go. To so confirmed 
an opium smoker this involved terrible suffering, 
suffering so severe that it nearly cost his life. But 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 307 

he determined, with his usual decision of character, 
that he would die rather than go back to the habit: 
for even the heathen condemn it, smokers included. 
After two or three weeks of intolerable suffering his 
pains were in an instant entirely removed, as he be- 
lieved, in answer to prayer and by the direct opera- 
tion in his "mortal body" of God the Holy Ghost. 

From the first, therefore, Mr. Hsi felt the keenest 
sympathy with those who had become enslaved by 
this degrading and enervating habit, and did all he 
could to help them. As he studied the Word of God, 
he tried with all his heart to carry it out in daily life, 
and wherever he went he strengthened the hands of 
the Christians, shepherded and cared for inquirers 
and converts. And from time to time he established 
opium refuges in important centers, where anti-nar- 
cotic pills were used which he himself compounded. 
Indeed, in making out the prescription for these, he 
believed he was very definitely guided in answer to 
special prayer. But though this refuge work became 
an increasingly important branch of his life-work, 
wherever he went, and whatever he did, his principal 
object was to preach the Gospel to all he could reach. 

Early in 1885, Mr. and Mrs. Drake, being in serious 
need of change, had to leave the promising young 
church for a time, whereby Mr. Hsi's gifts of leader- 
ship were still further exercised. This was the con- 
dition of things when Stanley Smith, Montagu Beau- 
champ, D. E. Hoste and W. W. Cassels were ap- 
pointed to this center. Their journey from the pro- 



308 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

vincial capital southward was taken in the month of 
June, when the wheat and barley harvests were 
nearly ready for the reaper, and the young Indian 
corn and the tall-growing sorghum were already well 
in evidence. Here and there, also, were brilliant 
patches of poppy, that remarkable plant so beautiful 
in summer and so gaunt and hideous in the fall : apt 
parable of its own delicious exhilaration and the blast- 
ing, withering results ! 

As they neared the city of P'ing-yang, just the day 
before they would arrive, a Chinaman accosted Stan- 
ley Smith, who was walking in front, and gave him 
a hearty English handshake, much to his surprise. 
(The Chinese method of salutation is to place the 
half-closed fists together, hidden by long sleeves, and 
slowly swing them upwards to the forehead, at the 
same time slightly bowing.) Surely, this must be 
someone acquainted with foreigners, and from his 
manner and his smile 'presumably a Christian. "Ye- 
su-tih-men-t'u?" asked Mr. Smith in broken Chinese. 
"Are you a Christian ?" The reply being affirmative, 
they soon felt at home with one another. 

A little later, as they were passing the end of a 
valley, the Christian turned his head in that direc- 
tion and said, "All the people living up there are 
abandoning their idols. I am not surprised to 

see you," he added. "How is that?" was the reply. 
"Because I have been praying for missionaries to 
come." They were invited to take dinner at his 
home, and there met five or six other Christians, with 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 309 

whom they had a delightful little time: the new- 
comers greatly enjoying the fellowship and praise and 
prayer, although, of course, understanding compara- 
tively little, as yet, of the local dialect. 

At P'ing-yang they soon settled in. Each mis- 
sionary had a room to himself. Mr. Bailer and Mr. 
Key, who had come with them, occupied an adjoining 
courtyard, in which also were the dining-room and 
kitchen; and a third courtyard was occupied by the 
native evangelist and his family. How gladly the 
new missionaries were welcomed by the earnest little 
church ! Of course, a large part of the time was de- 
voted to the language at first, but much time also was 
given to the work. And within eight months the 
work had been so extended that the four brethren 
were separated in four important cities, with P'ing- 
yang as the center. 

A year later a visit, long promised and most wel- 
come, was paid to these workers by Mr. Hudson 
Taylor. The missionaries, new and old, went up to 
T'ai-yuan ; and there they had a most delightful sea- 
son of refreshing, the story of which is told in an 
admirable little book, "Days of Blessing," by Mon- 
tagu Beauchamp. This is a little work of permanent 
interest for the insight it gives into a most successful 
branch of mission work in China. 

From here Mr. Taylor went south with the return- 
ing brethren, and important conferences were held 
r.t Hung-tung and at P'ing-yang. Deeply interesting 
and most impressive services were held at both these 



310 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

places ; and Mr. Hsi, from being elder, was promoted 
to the position of superintending pastor of P'ing-yang 
and the neighboring stations. Other native pastors, 
and elders, and deacons were also appointed, none 
of whom received salary, although some of them were 
helped occasionally when necessity arose. Others, on 
the contrary, gave largely of their own means, Pastor 
Hsi among the number. 

Prom here Mr. Taylor traveled on still further in- 
land, past the capital of the neighboring province of 
Shen-si, nearly a month's journey, to Han-chong; no 
easy journey at the height of a Chinese summer! 
And from there he returned by boat to Han-kow. 

The conferences at P'ing-yang and elsewhere not 
only manifested the high spiritual tone of the native 
churches, but gave them fresh impetus. As a result, 
they were introduced as annual or semi-annual re- 
unions for the scattered members. And on these oc- 
casions large collections were usually taken to for- 
ward the interests of the work, which became thus, 
to a large extent, self-supporting, especially in the 
country stations. 

At the commencement of his Christian life, Mr. 
Hsi had fasted and prayed much for the conversion 
of his mother and his wife, as well as for other mem- 
bers of the family. After some months of patient 
teaching and earnest prayer he had the joy of seeing 
them both come out boldly on the Lord's side; and 
at the time which we have now reached, Pastor Hsi 
had a valuable, sympathetic fellow-worker in his 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRATER. 311 

wife, a woman of more than usual gifts and devo- 
tion. 

About this time Mrs. Hsi expressed surprise one 
morning at family prayers that her husband kept on 
praying for Hoh-chau, and yet seemed to do nothing 
to open work in that important city. Mr. Usi's reply 
was that he longed to open it, but that all available 
funds were already in use : what else could he do but 
wait on God about the matter? 

Would that many home Christians, who cannot go 
to the foreign field, and who may be unable to do 
much, personally, to forward the work abroad, felt 
equally burdened to accomplish by prayer what they 
cannot do in other ways. God's work among the 
heathen would show the difference if they did! 
Probably nothing in the world could so help forward 
the work of Missions as earnest acceptance of this 
manifest Christian duty by the Church at home. 

Next morning at family prayers, as the pastor rose 
from his knees, having prayed as usual for Hoh-chau, 
Mrs. Hsi stepped up to the table and laid on the open 
Bible a neat little parcel in a handkerchief. Inter- 
ested and surprised, Pastor Hsi opened the package 
and saw to his amazement — all Mrs. Hsi's gold and 
silver rings and ornaments and hairpins. He looked 
up questioningly at his wife, and she replied, "I can 
do without these. Let Hoh-chau have the Gospel." 

Tears came to the good man's eyes. His loving, 
generous heart was touched, for he knew how much 
the sacrifice of all her jewelry involved, but in the 



312 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

same spirit as she gave, he reverently folded them up 
on the open Book, and accepted them for the work of 
God at Hoh-chau. A station was opened and work 
commenced, which has steadily grown and increased 
ever since. This station, opened by a woman, 

was put in charge of two Norwegian sisters in the 
year 1886, through whose prayerful supervision and 
earnest consecrated influence the little church grew 
steadily. 

So remarkably did the work prosper in this district 
that during the conferences in the spring of 1887 no 
fewer than two hundred and sixteen were baptized at 
one station, Hung-tung, besides some tens of others 
in neighboring cities. That conference was a time 
which will never be forgotten; and wonderful were 
the testimonies of many of the native Christians. 
Pastor Hsi's remarkable gifts, both as a speaker of 
rare spirituality and insight and as a leader among 
men, came into marked evidence at this impressive 
gathering. 

It is possible, however, that a mistake was made in 
baptizing so many without the usual year of proba- 
tion. As a result a certain percentage (rather more 
than 25 per cent.) of this number backslid within six 
years and were lost to the Church. It is a matter, 
however, for thankfulness to God, that over 70 
per cent, maintained a good profession. Further ex- 
periences at that and the surrounding centers brought 
the workers back to the usual custom of the Mission 
of keeping the new converts as "inquirers" or cate- 



ANOTHER ANSWER TO PRAYER. 313 

chumens for a year or more, until there could be no 
longer any uncertainty as to the reality and thorough- 
ness of their conversion. 

In spite of the difficulties that grew out of this mis- 
take, the work continued to go forward throughout 
the district, and in four years (between 1886 and 
1890) six hundred believers had been received into 
the Church. When Dr. Schofleld died, in the sum- 
mer of 1883, there were but two churches, with per- 
haps fifty members in all, in the province. Ten years 
later there were over a thousand Christians being 
cared for by more than seventy missionaries, with 
seventeen stations and a considerable number of out- 
stations in their charge. 

From that time until now the work has continued 
to increase at such a steady and encouraging rate that 
it seems little wonder that the great Enemy of souls 
sought to eradicate the Christian Church in that 
province, two or three years ago, through the Boxer 
uprising. 

Terribly though the Church suffered during that 
awful time, the work continues and is being pros- 
pered of God. Nearly a hundred members of the 
China Inland Mission churches laid down their lives, 
and very many others suffered beyond the power of 
words to tell; but God has brought them through. 
The Church, if smaller, is stronger and purer for the 
fiery trial which God has permitted, and many of the 
native Christians equalled in heroism their foreign 
missionary brethren and sisters, and have left behind 



314 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

an object lesson of self -surrender and unshaken faith 
which will assuredly not fail of its results in the years 
that are to come. 

Will not the reader make it a matter of earnest 
prayer to God that where the martyr-seed of the 
Church has thus been sown, a blessed, commensurate 
harvest may yet be reaped to the glory of the Lord? 









CHAPTEK XVI. 



"ask what ye will." 



But to return: not only in Shan-si, but in other 
parts of the empire, also, the work was being so 
prospered of God that the need for reinforcements 
was becoming serious. Since the prayer for the 
seventy, at the close of 1881, the Mission had al- 
ready doubled its membership by 1886. From about 
a hundred missionaries it had increased to fully two 
hundred, and the work in the interior had been cor- 
respondingly extended. 

The Mission had grown, moreover, out of being 
practically a large family of workers, with Mr. Tay- 
lor its father, into a company of workers and a work 
too large for any one man to superintend alone. 
After much prayer, accordingly, several of the older 
workers, who had shown not only whole-hearted de- 
votion to the work and to the Master, but had also 
evinced a talent for leadership, were selected and 
appointed by Mr. Taylor "Provincial Superintend- 
ents," having in charge the care of a province, or, 
occasionally, more than one. 

Moreover, the exigencies of the work demanded 
that Mr. Taylor should spend part of the time at 
home, and during his absence it was increasingly im- 
portant that some one should act as his deputy in 
China. For this central post the Rev. J. W. Steven- 

315 



316 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

son was selected. Mr. Stevenson, it may be remem- 
bered, was one of the earliest members of the Mis- 
sion, and went out early in 1866, before the "Lam- 
mermuir" party. Since that time, twenty years of 
service in China and Upper Burmah had proved his 
fitness for the post. Full of wisdom and of faith, 
and greatly refreshed and blessed during a recent 
furlough, Mr. Taylor had no hesitation in asking him 
to undertake the onerous duties of Deputy Director 
on the field. 

The new Superintendents and Director met with 
Mr. Taylor at Gan-king, two days' journey up the 
Yang-tse, for prayer and conference in November, 
1886. Eight days they spent — fasting till sundown 
each alternate day — in waiting upon the Lord, and 
conferring together about many important questions, 
especially the need for reinforcements. 

For urgent letters had been received that year 
from many stations, asking for brethren and sisters, 
either to strengthen the staff at strategic centers, 
or to take the place of workers needing furlough, 
or to enter open doors in yet unoccupied cities. 
After much prayer and consideration, the new 
Deputy Director suggested: "Shall we not pray for 
immediate reinforcements — a hundred new workers 
during the coming year?" Such a suggestion, made 
so earnestly, toward the close of the season of fast- 
ing and prayer, could not be taken lightly. It was 
prayerfully considered. And after some conference 
it was unanimously accepted. Never before had 



"ask what ye will." 317 

there been such opportunities; never before had 
there been so great and urgent need for reinforce- 
ments, if existing work were not to suffer and if 
doors now open were not to< close unentered. The 
unanimity of the brethren was complete, and with 
great joy they commenced at once to pray for a hun- 
dred new workers in 1887. 

Difficulties, of course, had suggested themselves. 
For one thing, a period of abundance financially had 
been followed during the last year or two by some 
degree of financial straitness. The membership had 
increased without a corresponding increase in the 
income. What would happen if two hundred mem- 
bers increased to three hundred in a single year ? "I 
presume our Master knows," said Mr. Taylor, "that 
this forward step is impossible without a correspond- 
ing increase of funds." A calculation was made. 
The income had stood at about a hundred thousand 
dollars a year for some time, and if a hundred new 
workers were to be accepted and sent out and main- 
tained, in the following year, an additional fifty 
thousand would be needed. 

Another practical difficulty was suggested by a 
former Secretary. The correspondence at home was 
heavy. And since collections are never taken, con- 
tributions both large and small are sent in through 
the mail. If fifty thousand dollars were received in 
gifts averaging a dollar, fifty thousand replies would 
have to be written to the letters of the donors, and 
fifty thousand receipts made out. "Enough to kill 



318 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

the overworked brethren at home," someone sug- 
gested. 

"I expect the Lord knows that also," said Mr. 
Taylor, with a smile. "Shall we not ask the Lord 
to incline some of His wealthier stewards to send in 
the extra money in large sums, that it may not be 
necessary to write so many letters?" A triple peti- 
tion, therefore, was presented to God: for a hundred 
workers within the year, for fifty thousand dollars 
extra income, and that the additional money might 
come in large gifts, that the workers at home might 
not be overtaxed. 

When the conference was over, "Pity we could 
not all gather together again," said one, "for a 
thanksgiving meeting when the hundred are in 
China, to praise the Lord for the men and women 
and the money He had sent." Mr. Taylor suggested, 
"Why not to-night?" And so, that very evening, they 
all united in thanksgiving and praise to God for the 
answer they felt assured He would grant to their 
petition. Full of confident hope in God, the workers 
separated, and thus ended the first meeting of the 
"China Council" of the Mission. 

When Mr. Taylor reached Shanghai a few days 
later, an old and beloved missionary acquaintance 
met him and said: "Well, Mr. Taylor, I am greatly 
interested to hear that you are praying for a hundred 
new workers next year. You will not get a hundred, 
you know, but you will get many more than you 
otherwise would!" 



«.„_ ,„„.„, „« _„^ » 



ASK WHAT YE WILL. 319 

"Well, dear brother," was the reply, "I am not a 
prophet, but I believe you will see the last of the 
hundred arrive in China in due course." 

Having now decided to wait upon the Lord thus 
definitely for reinforcements, the matter was laid 
before the members of the Mission, and as many as 
approved were invited to join in earnest and definite 
waiting upon God for the hundred new workers with- 
in the coming year. 

If this prayer were to be answered, however, as 
the leaders of the Mission had no doubt it would 
be, preparation must be made to receive the new- 
comers. Both for the brethren and for the sisters 
training homes would be needed. In such numbers 
they could no longer be scattered through the Mis. 
sion. It would be impracticable either to escort them 
inland or to receive them at the scattered stations so 
rapidly. Accordingly, two easily accessible cities 
were selected for the Homes, and Miss Mariamne 
Murray was asked to be the ladies' principal at Yang- 
chau, while Mr. and Mrs. Bailer accepted the super- 
vision of the Men's Home at Gan-king.* 

♦Mr. Bailer, in the meantime, commenced the prepara- 
tion of a series of invaluable text-books of the language, 
with the assistance of a fellow-missionary and several schol- 
arly Chinese. A curriculum also was decided upon, which 
should embrace the ordinary Classics, with which every 
missionary ought to be familiar, as well as the Bible, "Pil- 
grim's Progress," a book of Christian evidences, and a cer- 
tain number of standard Gospel tracts. This thorough cur- 
riculum is compulsory, and rightly so. The best work can- 
not be done in illiterate Chinese. 



820 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Word was sent home to England, of course. And 
there the Home Council, encouraged by the previous 
answer to prayer for the seventy, gladly united -in 
waiting upon God. Soon after New Year, 1887, Mr. 
Taylor started home to assist in the work of selecting 
and equipping the missionaries. 

By the time he reached England, in February, 
thirty candidates had already been accepted, and 
about fifteen thousand dollars was already in hand 
for passages and outfits, enough for at least fifty 
workers. Beyond a mention in China's Millions, 
the monthly organ of the Mission, that such prayer 
was being offered, and a request that friends who felt 
able would unite in the prayer, no steps whatever 
had been taken to obtain this money: no steps but 
the one great step of faith. No friend of the Mission 
had been asked to give a cent. The Hearer and 
Answerer of prayer had heard, and this was the be- 
ginning of His answer. 

Mr. Taylor, it is needless to say, was greatly 
cheered. Thirty-one were sent out in the spring, and 
sixty-nine followed in the fall and early winter. 
"We began the matter aright — with God," said Mr. 
Taylor at the annual meeting in May, "and we are 
quite sure that we shall end all right. It is a great 
joy to know that thirty-one of the hundred are already 
in China." 

"We always accept a suitable volunteer whether 
we have funds in hand or not. Then we very often 
say, 'Now, dear friend, your first work will be to 



"ASK WtiAT YE WILL." 321 

join us in praying for the money to send you to 
China.' " He always goes, and that without consider- 
able delay. "Depend upon it, God's work done in 
God's way will never lack God's supplies." Thus 
God answered definite, believing prayer. 

The veteran missionary referred to above lived to 

see the last party of the hundred arrive in China. A 

few days later he finished his course with joy, and 

was called to his reward. 
21 



CHAPTEK XVII. 



extension; or, the guiding hand of god. 

Thus far we have traced the history of the Mission 
in some detail, through its first twenty-one years, and 
have watched its growth from small and limited be- 
ginnings until it came to be, in numbers and sphere 
of work, one of the important agencies for the evan- 
gelization of China. 

By the end of the year 1887, as we have seen, its 
membership was about three hundred, and its workers 
were scattered — few and far between, it is true — 
over a large part of the "eighteen provinces," in- 
cluding most of those which had been entirely un- 
evangelized, and were indeed untouched at the time 
of the formation of the Mission. 

From its majority onward it will only be necessary 
to follow the work more generally, tracing the main 
developments which have taken place during the fif- 
teen years from then till now, September, 1902. 

Toward the end of 1887, an earnest young Amer- 
ican evangelist came over to London to see Mr. 
Taylor. For some time he had taken a deep interest 
in the China Inland Mission, and the thought had 
come to him, "Why should not the China Inland 
Mission draw workers from America, as well as from 
England?" He made it the subject of prayer for 

322 



extension; or, the guiding hand of god. 323 

some time; and finally, strongly impressed that the 
thought was of God, came to England to talk it over 
with Mr. Hudson Taylor. 

Mr. Taylor listened intently, and was deeply inter- 
ested in his new friend and his manifest conviction, 
but he could not see his way clear to accede to the 
proposal. "The Lord has given me no light about 
it," was his reply. Shortly after, another visitor 

called to see Mr. Taylor, bringing a very hearty in- 
vitation from Mr. D. L. Moody to take part in the 
important summer Conference for college students, 
to be held in June, at Northfield, Massachusetts. 

About the same time, moreover, a letter came from 
the Secretary of the Magara Conference, inviting 
Mr. Taylor to take part in that meeting in July. 
After prayerful consideration, these two invitations, 
to Northfield and Magara, were accepted; and about 
the middle of June, 1888, Mr. Taylor crossed to 
America, accompanied by his old friends, Mr. and 
Mrs. Reginald Kadcliffe, and his second son, Dr. 
Howard Taylor. Mr. Taylor was returning to China, 
and expected to spend a couple of months en route 
in the United States and Canada. 

Both at Northfield and Magara Mr. Taylor met 
with much kindness and sympathy, Mr. Moody him- 
self, at the former Conference, becoming quite en- 
thusiastic over Mr. Taylor's Bible lessons and talks 
about the work in China. At one of the missionary 
meetings, the beloved evangelist insisted that they 
must take up a collection for the work. Knowing 



824 THESE EOKTY YEARS. 

Mr. Taylor's unwillingness to make any appeal for 
funds, lie said: "This collection, every one will un- 
derstand, is not taken up by Mr. Taylor, but by me; 
if you all feel as I do, you want to show some practi- 
cal expression of sympathy in the work of the China 
Inland Mission." Mr. Taylor's courteous but firm 
remonstrance proved unavailing; the collection was 
taken, and at the close of the meeting Mr. Moody, 
in the name of the audience, insisted upon giving it 
to Mr. Taylor. But Mr. Taylor, while expressing his 
deep thankfulness, persisted in refusing it. Mr. 
Moody afterwards used the money for the cause of 
Missions in China, but just how he did so Mr. Taylor 
never knew. 

At the Niagara Conference, also, Mr. Taylor spoke 
repeatedly, both from the Word and about the work. 
And after six or eight very happy days at Niagara, 
he went to the home of Mr. H. W. Frost at Attica, 
near Buffalo, for a day's rest. While there he heard 
with no little surprise that funds had been contrib- 
uted by the friends at Niagara, sufficient to support 
eight workers in the Mission for a year. 

"Why, here is a dilemma," thought Mr. Taylor. 
"Here is money for workers, but no workers to use 
the money! Perhaps the Lord is going to give us 
workers from America after all." And as he made it 
a matter of prayer the conviction deepened, and he 
began to pray for workers to use the money thus pro- 
vided. One after another offered : among them being 
Miss Edith Lucas, a sweet singer of Israel, who had 



extension; or, the guiding hand of god. 325 

been one of Mr. Moody's helpers at Northfield, and 
Miss Susie Parker, of whom we shall hear more di- 
rectly. 

Thus, prayer for workers was answered, suitable 
men and women coming forward for the work. But 
the difficulty was that as candidate after candidate 
was accepted, their personal friends, or churches^ or 
fellow-workers claimed the privilege of their support: 
and the money already contributed still remained 
unused. At last, however, the number was made up, 
and after twelve weeks' of meetings and interviews in 
the United States and Canada, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor 
sailed for China with fourteen missionaries; the first, 
with one exception, to join the China Inland Mission 
from this side of the Atlantic. 

This proved, as Mr. Frost expected, to be but the 
beginning of greater things. Ere long, a Council was 
appointed for North America, Mr. Frost and several 
members belonging to the United States and the rest 
to Canada; most of the Canadian members residing 
at Toronto, which became, ere long, the North Amer- 
ican headquarters of the Mission. Quite recently the 
work has been divided more conveniently between 
Toronto and Philadelphia. 

From the time of Mr. Taylor's visit onward the 
work has steadily grown, until there are now about 
a hundred and twenty members of the Mission who 
have gone out from America. The wonderful 

story of the way in which the work on this continent 
has grown and prospered and been provided for — not- 



326 THESE FORTY YEAES. 

withstanding many difficulties, including not a little 
hardship at times, and many occasions when it was 
necessary very earnestly to wait on God for funds — 
has been written in some detail by Mr. H. "W. Frost, 
the American Director, and to that account, which 
will shortly be published, D. V., the reader is invited 
to look for further information about this increas- 
ingly important department of the work. 

If all this work has cost much to Mr. Frost and 
those associated with him in the conduct of the work, 
and to those who have gone out to lonely posts in far- 
off China, it has involved not less, perhaps more, true 
devotion to the Lord Jesus on the part of many a 
father and mother who have given their child to Him 
for China. Of this, one instance may not be out of 
place. 

At one of the farewell meetings of Mr. Taylor's 
first party, Miss Susie Parker's father, a devoted 
Christian worker, was present. Mr. Taylor, knowing 
something of his strong and loving spirit and whole- 
hearted devotion, asked him if he would not say a 
word. This, with some reluctance, he did. 

"Dear friends," he said, "you know what my dear 
Susie has been to me. In the home she has never 
given us cause for regret or an anxious moment, and 
in the mission work in which I am engaged she has 
for some years been my invaluable helper." And, 
speaking evidently under deep emotion, and with 
tears standing in his eyes, he added, "I don't know 
how I shall get on in the work, I don't know how I 



extension; ok, the guiding hand of god. 327 

shall live without her ; but the Lord Jesus has called 
my daughter to China, and I have nothing too 
precious for my Jesus." 

So she went. 

During her first year in China, Miss Parker 
worked hard at the language, praying meanwhile 
much for her teacher, whom she had the joy of bring- 
ing to the Lord before she had been many months in 
the country. Others, also, were brought in through 
her life, her prayers and her message. Everyone 
loved her, fellow-missionaries and natives alike. But 
during her second year she was seized with a violent 
attack of fever, was lovingly nursed by fellow-mis- 
sionaries, but was unable to rally, and went home to 
be with Christ.^ 

As soon as Mr. Taylor heard of it, his first thought 
was of her father, whose whole life seemed bound up 
in his child. With deep sympathy, and as tenderly as 
possible, Mr. Taylor wrote and told him the sad news. 
In reply he received a characteristic letter: "The 
Lord Jesus wanted my daughter for China. You 
know what it cost, but I gave her gladly. I could not 
withhold her from Him. And now He has called 
Susie to be with Himself. All I can say is, it is well ; 
I would not keep her back from Him. I have noth- 
ing too precious for my Jesus." 

The first American party were very gladly wel- 
comed in China. Sad news, however, awaited Mr. 
Taylor on his arrival. Two most valued missionaries 
had passed away: the one, Adam Dorward, who had 



328 



THESE FORTY YEARS. 



been striving heroically for years in the face of sick- 
ness and danger and riot, to obtain a foothold in hos- 
tile Hu-nan; and the other, Herbert Norris, the boys' 
headmaster at Chefoo. The latter, moreover, had 
died of hydrophobia, from the bite of a mad dog, re- 
ceived while protecting the boys. A few days later 
came the news of the death of Mr. Sayers, and soon 
after, that Miss Barrett also was dying. This was 
sad news, indeed, for Mr. Taylor. Stricken in spirit, 
he wrote : "Soon after we learned of the sickness and 
removal of some of our leading native helpers, of 
trials in the way of persecution, and of defection too. 
Then the daughter of beloved Mr. Stevenson, my co- 
worker, was taken seriously ill. Mr. Eason, also, 
who had just returned from furlough, took typhoid 
fever, and a second and a third in the house de- 
veloped it at the same time and were brought low. 
We could not understand the Lord's dealings, but we 
knew it was our Father's hand, and felt that perhaps 
He was giving us these sorrows lest we be lifted up 
by the blessings of the year, which had been very 
great. . . . The spiritual tone of the Mission is 
higher than ever before." 

During the year in which this American party 
reached China, in spite of much to discourage, thir- 
teen new stations were opened in different parts of 
the country, and nearly &ve hundred converts were 
added to the Lord. In Ho-nan, moreover, a consider- 
able amount of relief work had been undertaken in a 
large district which had been inundated by the Yel- 




C. I. M. HEADQUARTERS IN LONDON. 



extension; or, the guiding hand of god. 329 

low river, with the result of diminishing decidedly 
the bitter hostility of the Ho-nanese. 

Some of the native Christians, moreover, had given 
great encouragement, standing faithful under perse- 
cution, preaching boldly to their neighbors, and even 
opening out-stations unaided in places never visited 
by foreigners. 

This was in 1888: in the spring of the following 
year Mr. Taylor had to return to England. And ere 
long a large new house was obtained near the old 
headquarters in London, Inglesby House, which was 
much needed as a home for receiving and testing 
young men who offered for the work. At the same 
time two houses, equally near, were secured as a 
Ladies' Training Home, of which a gifted and experi- 
enced worker, Miss Soltau, became Superintendent. 
At this time, also, a Ladies' Council was formed, of 
which Miss Soltau was the Secretary. In the fall of 
the same year an Auxiliary Council was formed in 
Scotland, to test and report upon candidates who ap- 
plied from north of the Tweed. 

The month of November Mr. and Mrs. Taylor 
spent in Scandinavia, accompanied by Dr. Howard 
Taylor — Pastor Holmgren, who had long been inter- 
ested in the Mission, making all the arrangements 
with much kindness and ability, and acting as inter- 
preter. 

The heartiest possible welcome was accorded Mr. 
Taylor in Sweden and Norway and Denmark, and 



330 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

that by all classes. Even the Queen Sophia herself, 
a most spiritual and consecrated Christian, invited 
Mr. Taylor to a private audience on one of the five 
days spent in Stockholm. A large number of meet- 
ings were held in twenty-four different centers, and 
especially among the more evangelical Christians in- 
terest was deepened in missionary work. Already we 
had received one or two workers from Sweden. 
These, from now onwards, were reenforced by others, 
who were formed into a branch of the China Inland 
Mission, called the "Swedish Mission in China," with 
Pastor Holmgren as its Secretary and several godly 
and distinguished gentlemen as the Home Council. 
Their workers were drawn principally from cultured 
circles, most of the men having had a thorough uni- 
versity training. And the funds for the work have, 
from the first, been entirely separate. (In this par- 
ticular it has been unlike the ^orth American branch 
of the Mission, which has been financially, as well as 
in every other respect, an integral part of the Mis- 
sion. 

In the following year, 1890, a similar branch of 
the work arose in Germany, with its headquarters at 
Barmen, in the Rhineland, and was called the "Ger- 
man Alliance Mission." Three workers joined 
the Mission also from the Free Church of Finland 
during the next three years. 

All this time the heart of Mr. Taylor was greatly 
burdened about the unreached millions of China. 
And in October, 1889, during a brief season of rest 



extension; ob, the guiding hand of god. 331 

at the seaside at Hastings, England, he wrote a little 
paper on the words of Christ, "To every creature." 

He had pondered and prayed over these words. 
Did the Lord really mean what He said? He was 
convinced He did. "Were the government of Eng- 
land," he wrote, "to determine upon the conquest of 
a distant country, they would think it a small matter 
to land ten thousand troops on any part of the world's 
circumference. 

"If, in addition to the workers now in the field, 
one thousand whole-hearted evangelists . . . were 
set free, and kept free, for this especial work, they 
might reach the whole number of China's millions 
before the end of 1895; and this, allowing two years 
for the study of the language and preparation for the 
work." Mr. Taylor then went on to give figures in 
proof. "Shall an undertaking which a thousand 

men and women might accomplish in three years of 
steady work, after two years of preparation, be 
thought chimerical and beyond the resources of the 
Church of Christ?" 

A few months later,, in May, 1890, the second 
General Missionary Conference in China gathered at 
Shanghai, including representatives of all the prin- 
cipal Missionary Boards. Toward the close of the 
Conference they drew up a very striking appeal. 
With intense earnestness they asked the home 
churches to provide a thousand workers for China 
during the next five years. "We make this appeal," 
they wrote, "on behalf of three hundred millions of 



332 THESE FORTY YEAKS. 

unevangelized heathen. We make it with all the 
earnestness of our whole hearts, as men overwhelmed 
with the magnitude and responsibility of the work." 

In the beginning of the next year, 1891, the Scan- 
dinavian Christians of the United States equipped 
and sent out a party of fifty missionaries as a partial 
response to this double appeal. To them reference 
will be made again later. 

Meanwhile, the work of the China Inland Mission 
was steadily increasing. Commodious premises had 
been built for the headquarters in Shanghai, the gen- 
erous gift of one of its members, who provided both 
land and funds for building. The new Home was 
opened and dedicated shortly before this General 
Conference. And during the meeting the new prem- 
ises were crowded, spacious though they were, with 
missionaries, most of them belonging to the China 
Inland Mission. Next spring it was crowded again 
with the fifty Scandinavian workers, in addition to 
the regular staff in Shanghai and such members of 
the Mission as happened to be there, coming or go- 
ing. In the matter of this beautiful Home, God's 
provision was, as always, in good time. 

About the time of this Conference there arrived in 
China a young Episcopal clergyman, the Rev. C. 
Parsons, the first of many members to join the Mis- 
sion from Australia. Shortly before his sailing for 
China the Lord had laid it upon his heart and that 
of three prominent ministers — Episcopal, Presby- 
terian and Baptist — that Australia ought to do some- 



extension; or, the guiding Sand of god. 333 

thing for the evangelization of her near neighbor.? 
in China. 

As a result of their conversation together, an ear- 
nest invitation was sent to Mr. Hudson Taylor, giv- 
ing their names and those of others interested, and 
earnestly urging him to pay a visit to Australia. 
Meanwhile, Miss Mary Reed, whose health had given 
way in China, held a series of drawing-room and 
other meetings in Melbourne and elsewhere, which 
were largely attended, and a very deep interest was 
awakened in the hearts of many. 

About midsummer, 1890, Mr. Taylor was free to 
go. He arrived in July, and spent four months in 
Australia, holding meetings in the principal colonies. 
Blessing to many of the churches resulted, and a still 
deeper interest in China and its unevangelized mil- 
lions: many agreeing to unite in prayer with Mr. 
Taylor for a hundred workers from Australasia, 

Nine years later, in 1899, in response to many 
cordial invitations, Mr. Taylor paid them a second 
visit. On his arrival in Brisbane he was met by the 
news that the last of the hundred had crossed him 
on the way. Thus, before he could reach Australia 
the second time, the prayer of many had been an- 
swered to the letter. 

In 1890, a Council was formed in Melbourne, with 
corresponding members in adjacent colonies: and 
later, Auxiliary Councils were started in Adelaide, 
Sydney, Brisbane, and at Auckland and Dunedin, in 
New Zealand, by whose means interest was main- 



334 THESE FOETY YEARS. 

tained and workers selected and sent forth. For the 
support of these workers funds have been provided 
almost entirely from Australasia : though occasionally 
it has been necessary to supplement them from the 
General Fund. 

Thus, by God's blessing, the work has steadily ex- 
panded. 



PART III. 



CONCLUSION: RECENT YEARS 



CHAPTER I. 



A MEMORABLE JOURIS^Y. 

By the blessing of God, the recent history of the 
Mission has been characterized by steady growth in 
numbers and regular extension on the field. To this 
an intermission occurred, of course, during the time 
of the "Boxer" uprising. In 1892 its membership 
consisted of about four hundred and seventy men 
and women. Now, at the end of 1902, there are 
about eight hundred. And, besides this net increase 
of three hundred and thirty, we must remember one 
hundred and twenty who, during this decade, have 
been called to their reward, including sixty-one who 
entered into rest through the fiery portal of 
martyrdom. 

This would give a total of four hundred and fifty 
new members in the last ten years: or, more cor- 
rectly, allowing for those who for various reasons, 
including failure of health, have not been able to 
continue in the work, about five hundred. How 
much this addition has involved of devotion to the 
Lord Jesus, and of sacrifice on the part of parents 
and friends, of donors, and of the missionaries them- 
selves, the last day alone will reveal. 

It may not be out of place to mention here that 
the mortality among the members of the Mission 
22 337 



338 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

from natural causes has been at a very low rate, 
many years as low as ten per thousand, or lower. 
And when the sub-tropical climate, and the people's 
utter disregard of sanitation, are borne in mind, with 
all the other adverse surroundings of missionary life 
in the interior, it will be seen that this low death- 
rate is indeed a cause for profound gratitude to God. 

Shortly before this last decade commenced, in the 
year 1891, a missionary movement arose among the 
Scandinavian churches of America. Evangelist 
Fransen, a man full of spiritual power, was the 
means used to bring about the revival. He visited 
the churches, preached clearly and definitely on the 
obvious duty of obedience to the Lord's command to 
evangelize the nations, and called forth the fifty 
missionaries, to whom reference has already been 
made. The same year they went out to China in 
two parties of thirty-five and fifteen, being supported 
by the churches to which they belonged. 

Within a few hours of their landing, bright sunny- 
faced men and women, they were arrayed in Chinese 
costume, and soon they were hard at work on the 
"Primer" under Mr. Bailer's able and genial tuition ! 
ISTot long after they went inland, the majority to 
ISforth China. Most of them settled eventually on 
the Si-an plain in Shen-si, or on the borders of Mon- 
golia in North Shan-si. 

Two and a half years from that first memorable 
arrival — thirty-five strong, guitars in hand, and al- 
most unannounced — Mr. Hudson Taylor paid a wel- 



A MEMORABLE JOURNEY. 339 

come visit to them, and to other missionaries in the 
northern provinces, to confer about important ques- 
tions of method, and to strengthen their hands in 
the work. 

At the time when this visitation was decided upon, 
the writer and his bride were away on a houseboat 
in Cheh-kiang, visiting two of the oldest centers of 
the Mission. On their return to Shanghai, after three 
weeks' absence, what was" their surprise to learn that 
during this brief interval Mr. Taylor had considered, 
decided and started on this journey. 

But to take such a journey — of four months, in 
the summer — at Mr. Taylor's age was, to say the 
least of it, perilous! The same day bride and groom 
started up river for Han-kow, hoping to overtake Mr. 
Taylor. How they prayed that he might still be 
there when they arrived! And he was. Every argu- 
ment was tried to dissuade him from that journey. 
Anyone who knows the hardship and physical danger 
involved by such a tour, all through the summer, 
will realize how much there was to say in favor of 
at least postponing the trip. But to the Director of 
the Mission the line of duty was clear. "We ought 
to lay down our lives for the brethren." And that 
settled the question. 

Then, might his son and daughter go with him, 
and do what they could to lighten the load of respon- 
sibility in meetings, and to help by the way? This 
request being granted, on May 22nd, 1894, Mr. and 
Mrs. Hudson Taylor, their son-in-law, Mr. J. J. 



340 THESE FORTY YEAR9. 

Coulthard, and Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor started 
on that long inland journey. 

Native boats took them a day's trip across the 
swampy country behind Han-kow, always flooded in 
summer from the melting of Thibetan snows, and 
then a two weeks' barrow ride completed the first 
stage of the journey, to the heart of Ho-nan. 

Happily, those wheelbarrows were large and com- 
modious "sociables," intended for two: which was a 
great satisfaction to several members of the party. 
A coolie in front pulls by two handles, with a stout 
canvas strap across his shoulders to steady the 
weight, and another coolie, with similar strap and 
handles, pushes behind. A strong wheel in the center 
supports the machine and throws up dust in the faces 
of the travelers — who ride backward, side by side — 
blinding, suffocating, almost burying the victims! 
The road is just a rough foot-track, not made, but 
simply worn by barrow wheels and coolies' feet. In 
spite of a total absence of springs, and the rugged and 
often rocky road; in spite of the long hours, from 
4 A. M. till 7 or 8 P. M., these wheelbarrows are 
not nearly so uncomfortable as might be supposed, 
especially under certain circumstances and when well 
padded with Chinese bedding. 

A few days were now spent in Cheo-kia-k'eo, the 
oldest station in Ho-nan. The native Christians 
naturally were greatly delighted to welcome Mr. 
Hudson Taylor on this, his first, visit to the province. 
In addition to the public welcome of the church, 



A MEMORABLE JOURNEY. 341 

z m 

many individual acts of kindness and sympathy will 
long be remembered. Dear old Mr. Ch'en prepared 
with his own hands some delicious, savory hashes, 
native concoctions of mutton and pork, sufficiently 
salt to keep; one special jar, being entirely free 
from pepper or spices, for the private consumption 
of Mr. Taylor himself! Many a time, on the road, 
were the travelers thankful for his thoughtful pro- 
vision. 

One of the Christians at this station came to his 
pastor, some months later, saying, "I am deeply 
grieved to hear of Mr. Taylor's delicate health, and 
I have just been transacting an important matter with 
the Lord. I want you to know about it, as my pastor, 
in case anything should happen suddenly to me. I 
am not an old man yet, might have, perhaps, ten 
years more to live ; but my life is of no consequence, 
and I have asked the Lord to take these years and 
add them on to dear Mr. Taylor's life." It was 
quietly said, with evident sincerity, out of a loving 
and grateful heart. 

On the cart journey from here to Si-an, the capital 
of Shen-si, which occupied three weeks, the travelers 
were delayed among the mountains by heavy rains. 
As soon as the rivers had sufficiently subsided, they 
continued the journey, and had a most providential 
escape from serious accident. The carts came to a 
ford and were just making ready to go down into 
the river, when another vehicle came up behind and, 
rudely hurrying past, plunged into the stream. The 



342 THESE FOBTY YEAKS. 

carters were indignant at this affront, contrary to all 
the usages of the road, and were angry to the swear- 
ing point. They were easily pacified, however, by 
the reminder that the first cart to cross would take 
the measure of the river and gauge the current for 
the rest. 

Down into the rushing stream the heavy springless 
wagon plunged, drawn by two substantial mules 
driven tandem. Higher and higher up the wheels 
the water crept, eddying around the spokes and rim 
and soon about the axle. Still it rose, until it nearly 
flooded the cart, the driver meanwhile directing his 
animals by voice and by whip, for they use no reins. 
Gn the cart struggled through the surging stream, 
until at last it began to rise out of the water on a 
sand bank in the middle. They were half way across. 
And there they stood, on dry ground, to rest the 
panting animals. 

We stood waiting. 

After a brief interval, down they went on the 
farther side into the stream. Again the rushing 
waters swirled around the wheels and body of the 
wagon. Still they traveled laboriously on, until they 
began to draw near to the farther shore. Just then 
the water became deeper, too deep for the cart to hold 
steady. It was swept over on one side. Then the 
wheels were up in the air and the poor mules out 
of sight. They were carried a long way down the 
river, and thrown up on the further bank. Strange 
to say, no one was seriously the worse for the duck- 



A MEMORABLE JOURNEY. 343 

ing, not even the sick man who was lying in the bot- 
tom of the cart! Surely, the Lord must have heard 
our prayers for them. Fifty ounces of silver were 
lost and some thousands of cash, but nothing else of 
much consequence. We went some miles further up 
the river and crossed by ferry. 

At Si-an a busy week of conference followed, 
which would have been a time of unmixed happiness, 
as it was of blessing, had it not been for the knowl- 
edge that Mrs. Botham was lying at the point of 
death, four stages to the west. How much her life 
meant to the party gathered there we must pause a 
moment to recall. 

Seven years before, Mr. and Mrs. Botham had 
gone up to work on the Si-an plain. Previous to their 
arrival all efforts to open a station had been in vain. 
So their plan of campaign was as follows: They 
would visit a city, put up at an inn and stay for two 
or three days, or as long as all was quiet and friendly, 
preaching the Gospel and selling tracts and Scrip- 
tures. As soon as they began to be persecuted, ac- 
cording to the Lord's injunction, they fled to another 
city. But they fled in a circle! And in this way, 
visiting fifteen or twenty cities, they made a circuit 
of the plain. How much discomfort and sacrifice 
this all involved can be imagined. They were the 
right kind of pioneers. 

"Never in my life have I been more happy," wrote 
Botham, "than when traveling thus on this plain, 
with my wife on one donkey and all our worldly pos- 



344 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

sessions on another." After years of patient effort, 
they at last succeeded in opening Feng-siang, a per- 
fectual city. Other pioneers had joined them mean- 
while, including Messrs. Bland and Redfern, kindred 
spirits with themselves; and in May, 1892, their long 
labors were crowned with success. "In one month 
houses were rented in five places," including the 
capital, Si-an. Public suspicion had been allayed by 
these repeated visits on which no harm, but only good 
was done. One after another fresh stations were 
opened, until the most important cities on the plain 
were occupied. The Swedish brethren had a large 
share in opening these stations. 

The opening of Si-an was specially interesting. 
Holman, one of the fifty, an earnest, spiritually- 
minded fellow, put up at an inn, and set to work 
quietly, preaching the Gospel and making friends. 
About this time another foreigner who came to the 
city asked Holman: "Was it not a mistake for him 
to come to that city? The people needed to be caught 
with guile. If we taught them astronomy, and 
mathematics and science, we might gradually interest 
them and bring in more important things." . 
But Holman, undiscouraged, referred the question to 
the Lord. He went on with his work, and ere long, 
by God's blessing, he had secured a house. 

Some of the leading citizens heard of it, and came 
with a rabble to turn him out. Holman received 
them as befitted gentlemen, and after the usual for- 
malities, took up his guitar and sang to them some 






A MEMOEABLE JOURNEY. 345 

of the sweet songs of the Kingdom. They were de- 
lighted at his courtesy and cordiality, and completely 
won. So the first station in that ancient capital of the 
empire was opened, and kept open by the hand of 
God. 

On the arrival of Mr. Taylor's party at Si-an, on 
Tuesday evening, June 26th, they were informed of 
the critical condition of Mrs. Botham. Immediately 
it was made the subject of earnest prayer to God. 
He was reminded how precious her life was to them, 
and to the cause; and united request was made that 
she might be spared and restored to health. Dr. 
Howard Taylor went across to Feng-siang: and was 
prospered by the way, accomplishing the four thirty- 
mile stages in three days. But the Lord Himself had 
been there first, and when the doctor arrived Mrs. 
Botham was already well! 

On the Tuesday evening, at the time when united 
prayer began to be made at Si-an, hope was well nigh 
gone. For seventy-two hours Mrs. Botham had been 
unable to sleep, the fever continuing high; and mut- 
tering delirium, that beginning of the end, was su- 
pervening. But that evening the patient fell into a 
quiet slumber, rested peacefully all night, and awoke 
in the morning with a sigh of relief: "Oh, I do feel 
so much better!" The fever was gone, the restless- 
ness had passed away, and Mrs. Botham made unin- 
terrupted convalescence. 

Dr. Howard Taylor spent a delightful Sunday 
with the Bothams and returned to join the party. 



346 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

They, meanwhile, had concluded the Conference, in 
which twenty missionaries took part, and started for 
Yuin-ch'eng, in South Shan-si, the center of a large 
salt-producing district, and also of the government 
monopoly for its sale over the extensive area. This 
influential city is important also in the China Inland 
Mission, as being the headquarters of its older Scan- 
dinavian branch — the "Swedish Mission in China," 
with which we are already acquainted. 

The heat was sultry and very oppressive on that 
week's journey from Si-an, often as high as 120 de- 
grees in the carts! And when Mr. Taylor arrived, 
about noon on July 17th, he was seriously ill in con- 
sequence. A long drought made the heat unusually 
trying on these dusty roads. Dr. Howard Taylor 
was now only half a day behind, and just as he 
reached the city that evening rain began to fall, and 
soon fell heavily, an answer to many prayers. By 
the blessing of God, the medical treatment adopted 
was soon successful, and after a day or two of rest, 
Mr. Taylor had a time of conference with about 
twenty members of the "Swedish Mission" at this 
station. 

The next point on the tour was P'ing-yang, the 
principal governing center in southern Shan-si. This 
section of the journey and several that followed were 
taken by night, to avoid the heat. Rather more than 
half way to P'ing-yang, a brief stay was made at 
K'uh-wu, an important station under the charge of 
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Kay, two lovely and very sue- 



A MEMORABLE JOTJRKEY. 347 

cessful missionaries, who, sad to say, were martyred 
in 1900. 

About midnight, on one stage of this section^ the 
sleeping travelers were awakened by their carts sud- 
denly stopping and by voices in the darkness. Bous- 
ing themselves, they saw two tall figures by the road- 
side. The voice of one was surely that of Mr. Hoste 1 
So it proved. And his companion was none other 
than Pastor Hsi, that blessed man of God, who was 
so greatly used among his fellow-countrymen in this 
and neighboring provinces, and whose life-story in 
two volumes is just being completed.* They had 
come out a good many miles from P'ing-yang to greet 
and welcome Mr. Hudson Taylor and his companions. 

The conference which followed at P'ing-yang was 
a time of great refreshment, and was marked by 
three rather remarkable answers to prayer, which 
greatly encouraged the hearts of the thirty-five 
workers who were present. 

A visit to Pastor Hsi's home followed. The good 
man did everything in his power, lavishing money 
and affection in the endeavor to express his gratitude 
to Mr. Taylor for what he had done for his country 
and for himself. It was a memorable visit in a godly 
and cultured home — the center of all the opium ref- 
uge work carried on by Pastor Hsi at forty-five sta- 



*"One of China's Scholars" and "One of Chinas Chris- 
tians," by Mrs. Howard Taylor. The latter is almost ready 
for publication, and may be ordered from the offices of the 
Mission at Philadelphia or Toronto. 



348 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

tions in no less than five different provinces — an ag- 
gressive Native Missionary Society, with a one-man 
directorate. 

At P'ing-yang Miss Broomhall and Mr. Hoste, 
who had recently become engaged, joined the party. 
Brief visits were paid at Hung-tung, Mr. Hoste 's own 
station, and at Hoh-chau, where the work was under 
the charge of lady missionaries, very appropriately, 
since the station had been opened some years before, 
as we have seen, by the devotion of Mrs. Hsi. 

Midway between these two cities was the out-sta- 
tion of Chao-eh'eng, now a full station under the 
charge of Ernest Taylor, Mr. Taylor's youngest son. 
Here, dear old Elder Song was in charge, and a large 
courtyard, full of bright and happy faces, were 
gathered to welcome Mr. Taylor. Realizing that the 
opium refuge had been the starting point of the work, 
Mr. Song was asked: "Have any of these happy, 
hearty-looking Christians ever been opium smokers?" 
He looked up with some surprise. "I don't quite 
understand you." The question was repeated. 
"Why," he said, "they were all of them opium smok- 
ers, every one." And there they were, two hundred 
hearty, sunshiny men, attesting more eloquently than 
words the power of Jesus Christ to save, even when 
all other hope is gone. 

Several more stations were passed on the way north 
to T'ai-yuan, the capital of Shan-si, where more 
meetings followed, in the hospitable home of Dr. and 
Mrs. Edwards. 



A MEMORABLE JOURNEY. 349 

From here eastward, the journey to the coast was 
made by "mule litters" as far as Pao-ting Fu, the cap- 
ital of Chih-li. This method of travel was certainly 
novel. A long Saratoga trunk, or something closely 
resembling one, has a hole cut out on either side, half 
a yard square for the "door" and a foot square for the 
window. This lightly-constructed box is firmly at- 
tached to two long poles on which it is carried, sedan- 
chair fashion, by two hardy mules. How does one 
get in? — the passenger wonders. After a while he 
learns to get in backwards, limbs and head last, like a 
hermit-crab, and to take his seat at one end on a 
couple of short planks. Facing him at the other end, 
his fellow-traveler will be seated, their knees almost 
touching. Bedding does duty for cushions, and bag- 
gage goes under the seats. 

It will not be supposed that the litter is fastened 
to the mules in any way. Saddles from which a spike 
stands up, are thrown across their shoulders, a stout 
leather strap, with a hole for the spike, goes across 
the saddle, and by this strap the ends of the poles 
are carried. After the passengers are seated, the 
wkole concern is lifted by four or six men on to the 
backs of the mules. The saddles, however, are merely 
laid across the backs of the animals, and have no 
girths, or anything that might impede their falling off 
if the animals stumble. The litter simply rolls over, 
and the mules are usually none the worse. The hapless 
passengers do the best they can, but are not taken 
into account in tills arrangement ! 



350 THESE FOBTY YEARS. 

At this stage of the journey a delightful visit was 
paid at Sheo-yang, high up among the mountains, 
with Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Pigott — noble, devoted mis- 
sionaries — who were among those beheaded six years 
later at T'ai-yuan. 

■ From Pao-ting Fu to T'ien-tsin, the port of Pekin, 
the last three days of the journey were by house-boat, 
the cool restfulness of which was greatly appreciated, 
after the hot overland travel. They arrived at 

T'ien-tsin early in September, and a day or two later 
a very interesting event took place at the British 
consulate! Miss Broomhall and Mr. Hoste were 
united in marriage. Shortly afterwards they re- 
turned to Shan-si. 

From T'ien-tsin, after a brief visit to Shanghai, 
Mr. Taylor again went inland on a shorter journey, 
accompanied by Mr. Russell. And Mr. Coulthard 
and the Howard Taylors returned to their sphere of 
service in the province of Ho-nan. 



CHAPTEE II. 



LIGHT AND SHADE. 

The last decade of the work has been full of vicis- 
situdes. It opened with tokens of divine approval 
and blessing, and at its close there is much cause for 
encouragement. We shall tell of the latter in the 
concluding chapters. A few details of the former 
may be given here. 

The year 1892 had been one of unprecedented suc- 
cess, judged by numerical results. This was so, not- 
withstanding an unusually low exchequer. During 
the previous three years the funds from England, 
the largest source of income, had been steadily dimin- 
ishing, in all by 15 per cent. This was in part com- 
pensated for by a more favorable rate of exchange, 
consequent on a fall in the price of silver; and in 
part by increasing gifts from America and Australia, 
as well as from friends in China itself. 

It had been a year, also, of much sickness: eight 
out of five hundred having laid down their lives, 
which, though still low, was considerably above the 
usual percentage. In spite of these things, and two 
serious riots (one of them in the far west, on the 
borders of Thibet), more were added to the Church 
than in any previous year. There was much cause 
for prayer. There was still more reason for praise. 

351 



352 THESE FOETY YEARS. 

The first of the last ten years, 1893, by God's 
blessing, was still more successful. In this year eight 
hundred and twenty-one were added to the Church, 
in connection with the China Inland Mission, as com- 
pared with six hundred and ninety-three the year 
before. And this encouraging improvement has not 
only been maintained, but considerably increased in 
more recent years. In addition to this number re- 
ceived into the Church, there were fully a thousand 
more inquirers upon the rolls at the end of 1893, 
waiting for admission, than there had been four 
years before. 

This steady advance in numerical results is, of 
course, easy to explain, and is what one should ex- 
pect. Pioneer work, as we have seen, is necessarily 
slow, and consists largely in laying foundations upon 
which the superstructure of organized churches may 
be erected later. The foundations had now been laid. 
The right time for building up had come at last, 
thank God! 

A large proportion of the baptisms, for the same 
reason, were at the older stations, the highest num- 
ber being in the province of Cheh-kiang, where the 
work of the China Inland Mission commenced. Next 
to this statistically came Shan-si in the north, and 
then Kiang-si in the south. The work m eastern Si- 
ch'uan under Mr. Cassels (now Bishop of western 
China) had also been much owned of God. 

The old church at Hang-chow, Cheh-kiang, under 
Pastor Wang, and his son-in-law, Pastor Ren, to- 



LIGHT AND SHADE. 353 

gether with the branch churches in neighboring 
towns, had now become practically self-supporting. 
And they were getting along so well under a native 
ministry (with occasional foreign supervision) that 
the Mission was greatly encouraged in its efforts to 
develop self-sustaining and self-extending churches. 
This must, of course, be the ultimate aim of all mis- 
sionary work, as well as its principal hope for rapid 
increase. At T'ai-chau, in the fall of 1893, after a 
hundred had been baptized, three hundred inquirers 
still remained on the rolls. 

Even in hard, opium-besotted Kan-suh, the work 
was beginning to be more hopeful. 

This brings us to 1894, the year of Mr. Taylor's 
long journey through the northern provinces. There 
was a slight diminution in the total number admitted 
to the Church. But this did not discourage the 
workers, as it might have done, for the diminution 
was more than accounted for at the one station of 
T'ai-chau, where bitter persecution temporarily 
checked the work. With this one exception the 
steady increase was maintained. Strange to say, the 
total income this year was 8 per cent, less still than 
the year before! But by the gracious over-ruling 
Providence of God, this was again compensated for 
by further improvement in the rate of exchange. 

By this time another of the older stations had be- 
come self-supporting, as far as the native part of the 
work was concerned, eighty Mexican dollars being 

23 



354 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

provided by the church for the Chinese pastor's 
salary, besides a number of lesser contributions. 

With few exceptions the whole work was encour- 
aging. The reason may, perhaps, be found in the 
following words, from a letter written at this time 
by Mr. Taylor: "Never was there a stronger bond of 
unity and love in the Mission; never before were so 
many qualified for aggressive service." 

An epoch-marking event occurred at the close 
of 1894. November 12th was the sixtieth birth- 
day of the Dowager Empress, who has since become 
so well known. In preparation for this anniversary, 
the Christian women of China had contributed be- 
tween one and two thousand dollars, with which was 
produced a remarkable book: an edition of a single 
copy of the New Testament, in classical Chinese.* 
The book was elegantly printed in large clear type, 
with an ornate gold border around each page. It 
was bound in solid silver, elegantly chased with 
graceful sprays of bamboo. A gold plate, in the 
center of the design, bore the characters "Holy 
Classic of Salvation," and on the other face of the 
binding, a similar plate bore the name of the Em- 
press, with a few words of congratulation. The book 
was enclosed in a handsome silver casket, lined with 
old gold plush, and this was encased in an elegantly 
carved teak-wood box. It was presented to the 



*A second edition was printed afterward from the same 
type, with a less costly border, and handsomely bound in 
leather, in memory of the occasion. 



LIGHT AND SHADE. 355 

Empress with due ceremony, by the British and 
American ambassadors. 

A few days later the Emperor sent an eunuch to 
the American Bible Society's depot, to purchase for 
his own use both Old and New Testaments. And it 
is related that, day by day, a chapter was copied for 
him from the Gospels by a scribe, it being unusual 
for a Chinese Emperor to read printed books (which 
ordinary mortals read): and obscure passages were 
explained to his Majesty by a native Christian, whose 
attendance was commanded for the purpose. May 
God grant that the truths that thus obtained access, 
not merely to the palace, but to the mind of the 
Emperor himself, may yet bring forth fruit in his 
life, to the great blessing of the country. 

The year which followed was memorable in more 
respects than one. When it began, the war with 
Japan, declared while Mr. Taylor and his fellow- 
travelers were returning to the coast, was at its 
height. The suzerainty of Korea, it will be remem- 
bered, was the bone of contention. And peace was 
not secured until the middle of April, 1895; peace, 
with its most humiliating terms for China. 

In the same month of April, the Mohammedans 
of the far northwest, taking advantage of the pre- 
occupation of the government, as they have often 
done in the past, broke out in rebellion. And as a 
result, the lives of the Kan-suh missionaries were 
in jeopardy for many months. To the great credit 
of China be it recalled that all through the Japanese 



356 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

war the lives and property of foreigners had been 
most carefully safeguarded throughout the country. 
But now the scanty imperial soldiery were being 
worsted by the rebels. The Chinese Mohammedans, 
always unruly, in times of civil war are the most 
blood-thirsty savages. It was a time of peril, indeed. 
The worst trouble centered at and around Si-ning, 
not far from the Thibetan border. 

In this city were stationed Mr. and Mrs. Ridley 
with their little baby girl, and Mr. Hall. "What shall 
we do?" they cried to God, when the revolt began. On 
the one hand was the utter ruthlessness of the fierce 
and fanatical Moslems, and the imminent peril to 
themselves and the sweet little babe; on the other 
hand was the work. Difficult it had been all along. 
Should they leave the little beginnings of a church? 
Or should they stand by it, and do what they could, 
medically and surgically, for the wounded soldiers 
and the often terribly burned and injured civilians 
who fled into the city? 

After much prayer they determined to stay, and 
so graciously were their hearts kept in peace that 
during the seven long months that followed, amid 
all the blood-curdling horrors of such barbarous war- 
fare, only once did their hearts fail them — though, 
of course, it was a time of terrible strain — and that 
was when a poor little infant was brought to them 
from a neighboring village, horribly gashed by the 
swords of the vandals. Mrs. Eidley, whose training 
as a nurse made her surgeon-in-chief, might well 



LIGHT AND SHADE. 357 

recoil from such a sight. After attending to the 
pitiful little patient, Mrs. Ridley went alone, and 
cried to God as if her heart would break. 

God heard; and comforted the mother's heart with 
peace, and with the assurance that He would protect 
both the little one and themselves. For seven long 
months they were besieged, cut off from communi- 
cation with the outside world: and day by day, and 
night after night savage onslaughts were made, with 
the awful prospect of the rebel soldiers breaking 
through into the city. During all this time it was 
impossible, of course, to send them money ; or rather, 
the money that was sent could not be forwarded. 
How would God meet their need? 

A mandarin called to thank them, one day, for 
all they were doing for the wounded soldiers, of 
whom many hundreds had been treated, and he was 
surprised to notice his host preparing tea for himself. 
Wondering whether this could possibly be the for- 
eigner's compliment to his official guest, he inquired, 
"Why do you not let your servant make the tea?" 
Mr. Ridley had to confess that he had no servant. 
"Why, that is too bad," said the official. "I will 
send at once four of my body-guard to serve you." 
Mr. Ridley thanked him, and declined. "But you 
must have servants," he said, with evident astonish- 
ment. "People like you are not accustomed to wait 
upon yourselves : and it is a disgrace to our city that 
you should be without help when you are spending 
all your time and strength upon others! I will send 



358 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

you four soldiers at once." There was nothing for 
it, then, but to explain: that, being cut off from sup- 
plies, they could not afford to keep servants. And 
thus the official discovered how low the exchequer 
had run. He promptly ordered a load of wheat and 
a supply of fuel, and sent several of his own men 
to grind the grain. In this and in other ways all 
their needs were met during that trying time: and 
they were able to minister to over two thousand 
surgical and medical patients, including a large num- 
ber of cases of diphtheria. 

At last the siege was raised, the rebellion put down, 
and the severely tested workers relieved from the 
strain. Not till two or three years later, however, 
would they leave that station for furlough. And in 
the interval they found, very naturally, the entire 
attitude of the people changed. Such help, rendered 
at such a cost, could not but make a profound impres- 
sion upon the ruling classes and the people. 

This was the second serious trouble in 1895. The 
third threatened to be even more perilous. At the 
end of May a serious riot occurred at Ch'eng-tu, the 
capital of Si-ch'uan. Several causes contributed to 
bring it about. The widespread anti-foreign feeling 
of the people was at the root of it. The indifference, 
or, more probably, the open sympathy of the then 
viceroy encouraged it, and the scholarly classes, as 
usual, organized the disturbance behind the scenes. 

The death of a woman operated on in one of the 
Mission hospitals seems to have been the spark that 



LIGHT AKD SHADE. 359 

ignited the gunpowder. But the mine was laid and 
in readiness beforehand. From Ch'eng-tu the riot- 
ing spread to Kia-ting and other neighboring cities: 
and continued spreading until, within ten days, it 
had reached Pao-ning, Bishop Cassels' center, at the 
other end of the province. It seemed for a time as 
if every station in Si-ch'uan would be closed. But 
in the midst of all this trouble it was decreed, "Thus 
far and no farther." Not one life was lost, and at 
many of the stations the missionaries were able to 
remain, either in hiding at the Yamen or under pro- 
tection at the Mission premises. Sixty-five, however, 
had to leave the province, and it was several months 
before all the work could be resumed. 

The fourth sad event of the year 1895 occurred 
on the first of August. On that day, at Ku-ch'eng, 
in Fuh-kien, South China, the Rev. R. W. and Mrs. 
Stewart and their child and seven other missionaries 
were suddenly surrounded and murdered by vege- 
tarian fanatics. They were most devoted workers, 
members of the English Episcopal Mission. This 
terrible catastrophe shot a pang of horror through 
the heart of Christendom, and the noble spirit in 
which it was borne by the relatives of the martyrs 
and their fellow-workers — in the Church Missionary 
Society and the Church of England Zenana Mission — 
will not be quickly forgotten. It should be added 
that, both in this province and in Si-ch'uan, the gov- 
ernment did all it could to make amends. 

Moreover, at the close of the war with Japan the 



360 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Emperor of China, for the first time in the history 
of the country, took personal cognizance of services 
rendered by individual missionaries, conferring upon 
eleven medical missionaries the high distinction of 
the Order of the Double Dragon, with its jeweled 
insignia. In addition to this imperial recognition, 
medical services to wounded soldiers and civilians 
were also formally acknowledged, in various ways, 
by local mandarins. 

In this year, also, was completed the period of five 
years, from the Shanghai Missionary Convention of 
1890, within which the Conference asked for a thou- 
sand men to reinforce the work in China. This 
appeal, translated by many into the language of 
prayer, God heard as well as the home churches. But 
God often disposes otherwise than we propose. They 
asked for a thousand. He sent more, by a hundred 
and fifty-three. They asked for men. He sent, 
through forty-five Societies, both men and women — 
four hundred and eighty-one men, one hundred and 
sixty-seven missionary wives and ixve hundred and 
irve single ladies. And thus He met the need as He 
saw best. Not that it was met completely: very far 
from that ! Even now, at the end of 1902, there U 
still very much "land to be possessed." But as many 
went out, probably, as could be satisfactorily trained 
and located within five years. For this readiness to 
give at home, and to go, all glory be ascribed to God. 



CHAPTER III. 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 

Blessedly uneventful were the years which imme- 
diately followed troublous 1895; uneventful, save in 
that chief event for which all missionary work exists 
— the salvation of souls. Unhampered by serious 
difficulties without, or by grave troubles within, the 
work of all Missions in China, and the China Inland 
Mission among them, went forward in a way to re- 
joice the heart. 

Missions to the heathen serve many subsidiary 
ends: civilizing, educating, uplifting the down-trod- 
den, emancipating woman, and bringing medical and 
surgical aid to countless sufferers. All these are 
things we cannot but be thankful for, we who are 
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, who a went about 
doing good." 

But the one supreme blessing of Salvation, which 
it is their privilege to bring, immeasurably out- 
weighs all else: involving, as it does, deliverance in 
the future from eternal perdition, involving the pres- 
ent redemption of wrecked and miserable lives, in- 
volving happiness instead of cruelty, love and loveli- 
ness instead of hatred and hatefulness: this one all- 
inclusive blessing so far outweighs all others that 
without accomplishing this, no missionary's heart can 

361 



362 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

ever be satisfied; his work, judged by the highest 
standard, is in vain, and he knows it. 

This, moreover, was the object set before us in our 
general marching orders: "Go ye into all the world, 
and preach the Gospel to every creature." And "he 
that believeth . . . shall be saved." Those at 
home who give and send, and those on the field who 
go and sacrifice, and all who pray, work together 
therefore to this one supreme end. And who can es- 
timate the value of one lost soul reclaimed for Jesus 
Christ? Well may God Himself rejoice over each 
individual salvation! 

Missionary work involves, necessarily, great sacri- 
fices, but are they not sacrifices for ends incompar- 
ably greater? And neither supporter at home, nor 
worker on the field — no, nor God Himself — will ever 
regret the price paid for the redemption of lost men 
and women. 

Hard though 1895 had been, especially in the 
west, the hearts of the workers were cheered by 
abundant ingathering in many of the stations. "This 
is what we live for." The bad year became a good 
year, through the blessing of the Lord. Spite of 
all there was to hinder, as we have seen, in the east 
and west, in the northwest and northeast, a larger 
number of converts were baptized than ever before; 
eight hundred and forty-seven being added to the 
Church. 

In the year of peace which followed, 1896, this im- 
provement was maintained, and much more than 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 363 

maintained: for twelve hundred and sixty-two were 
baptized, and at the close of the year a larger num- 
ber of applicants for church fellowship were on the 
rolls than ever before. Growth, thank God, steady 
growth, is the rule of the Kingdom; and the history 
of the Church in China has been no exception to the 
rule. 

It was not only the number added that was encour- 
aging. Mrs. Bird Bishop, after extensive joumeyings 
in the far interior, spoke of the transformations which 
she herself had seen, not only in the lives, but in the 
very appearance of the Christians. She has often 
said that in China her camera knew the difference be- 
tween a Christian and a heathen. There is a light in 
the Christians' faces and an earnestness of demeanor, 
which tell of an inner spring of happiness and rest- 
fulness that is never found apart from Christ. This 
distinguished traveler also remarks that, so far as her 
observation had gone, the little churches are pure 
and the members unmistakably converted. Mrs. 
Bishop was especially impressed with the value and 
success of medical missionary work, not only as a di- 
rect evangelistic agency of the highest value, but also 
as a means of disarming prejudice and suspicion, and 
of conquering the many superstitions which bar the 
progress of the Truth. 

Mr. Hudson Taylor, speaking this year at the Lon- 
don Annual Meeting, drew attention to the striking 
change in attitude which he and many others had 
noticed recently. There was not, of course, eager- 



364 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

ness to hear the Gospel; one would hardly expect to 
find that among heathen, who do not even know there 
is a Gospel! But there was a willingness to listen, a 
more respectful bearing and much more readiness to 
receive the message when it began to be understood. 

These encouraging features of the work in 1896, 
after the war with Japan and the many riots and 
other troubles of the preceding year, were just what 
was prayed for and expected. Times of great bless- 
ing are usually preceded by special onslaughts of the 
Enemy. It is important to remember at such times of 
trial, indeed, at all times, that he cannot go one inch 
beyond the permission he obtains from the King of 
kings; and that there can be no such thing as defeat 
to the cause of Jesus Christ. All things shall be put 
in subjection under His feet. 

And now, at last, the time had come for the "key 
of David" to unlock the entrance to the province of 
Hu-nan. It was to a woman that God gave the honor 
of being the first missionary to settle in that province. 
Miss Jacobson, a Norwegian associate of long experi- 
ence, with rare courage and devotion, undertook to 
do her best. 

She went, with suitable native helpers, and passed 
the border, where a posse of soldiers were detailed to 
intercept her, in the garb of a peasant, apron, shoes 
and all; the soldiers taking little notice of the coun- 
trywoman and her servants. She commenced work 
very quietly in a country village : afterwards moving, 
as the way opened, into a neighboring city. Several 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 365 

other stations, with resident missionaries, have been 
opened since, including the capital of the province, 
but this work in the Ch'a-ling district was the first. 

Some years previously a member of the Mission, 
having been very roughly handled in this province, 
reported to Mr. Taylor with a radiant face: "Those 
Hu-nanese are worth working for; there is such 
energy about them, and such vigor; we must have 
them on the Lord's side!" 

One more encouraging fact must be mentioned. 
The work under Bishop Cassels continued to steadily 
expand, in answer to special and united prayer. The 
Bishop, during the first year after his consecration by 
the Archbishop of Canterbury, traveled in visiting 
the various centers in his diocese, considerably over 
three thousand miles : and had the satisfaction of bap- 
tizing forty-seven new members, as well as confirm- 
ing one hundred and sixty Christians. 

It was one of the Christians from Pao-ning, the 
headquarters of this Episcopal branch of the Mission, 
who so heroically undertook, some time before, a pub- 
lic flogging at Sung-p'an, near the Thibetan border. 
By this expedient of substituting the native Christian, 
the mandarin, who was in imminent peril himself, 
was able to deliver Mr. and Mrs. Polhill Turner from 
the fury of the populace, who believed the serious 
drought to be due to the presence of the foreigners 
and the anger of the gods. When this man came 
home to his own church he had not a word to say 
about his beating, and, indeed, when lovingly asked 



366 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

about it, only said: "Oh, that is of no consequence; 
Jesus bore much more than that for me." 

During these years the membership of the Mission 
was steadily increasing; from 1894 to 1897, inclusive, 
there was an annual addition of over seventy new 
workers, nearly three hundred in all. Over against 
this must be placed those who had laid down their 
lives in the work, about eight or ten each year. And, 
of course, there were other losses from failing health 
and other reasons. But after allowing for these, 
there was a large increase in the membership. 

There was not, however, a corresponding increase 
in the funds. In 1896, for instance, the income was 
$215,000, only $400 more than the year before. It 
need hardly be said that this involved great care on 
the part of the Financial Secretaries in China to avoid 
hardship to the workers. By great economy, how- 
ever, and by postponing repairs and other movable 
expenditures, the usual average remittances to the 
workers were maintained. 

It may not, perhaps, be out of place to mention 
here an impression that exists in certain quarters, 
that the members or associates of the China Inland 
Mission are frequently reduced to great straits for 
want of money; an impression which, happily, is not 
borne out by facts. During one of the hardest years 
the Mission ever had, the year 1900, Mr. Hudson 
Taylor found that it had only been necessary to re- 
duce the remittance to individual missionaries by two 
and a half per cent., a practically unappreciable dim- 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 367 

inution of the ordinary average income. It is not 
without good reason that the members of the Mission 
make their boast in the Lord, that He is faithful that 
promised ! To Him be all the glory ! 

1897 was a still more blessed year than 1896. 
Many souls were born into the Kingdom, and in the 
China Inland Mission alone we had the joy of re- 
ceiving into the Church 1,325 believers. All of these 
had been on probation for several months at least, 
and in many cases for a year or more. The impor- 
tance of keeping the churches pure, of avoiding the 
baneful influence of false brethren, can scarcely be 
over-estimated. In addition to these, of course, many 
inquirers were enrolled, as desirous to join the 
Church; a still larger number than before. 

As we have seen already, seventy new members 
joined the Mission in 1897, bringing the membership 
to 744. The native helpers also, paid or self-sup- 
porting, were increased by a hundred, from rather 
more than 500 to 600. Forty-one new stations and 
out-stations were opened in various parts of the 
country. In the province of Hu-nan, so long closed 
against the Gospel, another more important station 
was opened at Chang-teh. And the Rev. George 
Hunter, who took a much-needed furlough this year, 
left behind a little native church in the northwest 
corner of this province. 

Yet another advance on the field cheered the hearts 
of many, both in China and at home. The prayers 
of years, for the far southwest, began to have an 



368 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

answer. So long ago as 1865, much prayer went up 
to God that He would make it possible to enter one 
great district of the then untouched field of inland 
China from the southwest, by way of Burmah. Ten 
years later, the work in China itself being well estab- 
lished, two missionaries were dispatched to the 
Burmese frontier. They were met, as we have seen, 
by serious obstacles. They obtained, through the 
good hand of God upon them, an audience of King 
Mindano at Mandalay, and were given a site at 
Bhamo (after further delay), which was all that could 
be desired in the interests of the work. The center 
thus opened became a regular station of the Mission, 
in which a many-sided work was carried on among 
Chinese residents and traders, among the Burmese 
and hill-tribesmen, and among the English soldiers 
on garrison duty. 

Twenty-two more long years had passed, however, 
before it became possible to regularly use this en- 
trance to the province of Yun-nan. During this 
period, at long intervals, missionaries had crossed the 
frontier in both directions. Now at last the British 
authorities had conquered the difficulties with the 
Kah-chens and other mountaineers and, far more 
serious, with the Chinese government, and a regular 
trade route was opened, with a British consulate at 
the first Chinese city across the border: a city best 
known to foreigners by its Burmese name, Momien, 
but in Chinese, T'eng-ueh Chau. Here two mission- 
aries were stationed: and settled work was com- 




u 






BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL TEARS. 369' 

menced among its peaceable citizens. For prayer, 
thus answered after many days, much praise went 
up to God. 

In this year extensive improvements and enlarge- 
ments at the Chefoo Schools were completed. The 
new Boys' School, airy, convenient and healthy, could 
accommodate one hundred and twenty pupils. The 
enlarged Girls' School could comfortably receive 
eighty, and the Preparatory School another fifty, 
making a total accommodation of about two hundred 
and fifty. This was, it need hardly be said, a greatly 
appreciated addition to these schools for missionaries' 
children. 

In the year 1897, also, a most interesting departure was 
taken by the native missionary association in Shan-si. 
Opium refuge work having been so greatly prospered in the 
northern provinces, the brethren now sent forth two native 
missionaries to carry on a similar work, nearly a thousand 
miles away, in the difficult province of Hu-nan. They went 
to the station opened by Miss Jacobson in the previous year. 
Needless to say, the prayers of Chinese and foreigners went 
with them. 

As an illustration of one of the many vicissitudes of 
travel, and of the ever-present help of God, the following 
instance which happened about this time will not be without 
interest. Mr. Karlsson, one of the Swedish-American pio- 
neers on the Si-an plain, was out on a five months' evan- 
gelistic tour. Five Chinamen accompanied him, and in 
addition to preaching the Gospel they sold Scriptures and 
tracts wherever they went. He sat one evening on the 
k'ang (the warm brick bed which is common in that part 
of China) as he preached the Gospel, having removed the 
shoes from his weary feet before commencing. He preached 
on till dark, and then discovered that his shoes had disap- 
peared. 

What could be done? There were none to be had in 
24 



370 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

the village, and the journey was to be continued in the 
morning. The missionary and his companions united in 
prayer, asking earnestly that the thief might return the 
shoes. They then had supper and retired. "Early in the 
morning some one outside pushed my shoes through the 
paper window and said, 'Here are your shoes; stop your 
praying, for I am afraid of your God.' " They had a little 
praise meeting before continuing the journey. 

Before we pass from 1897, it will not be without interest 
to compare it with ten years before. At the beginning of 
1887 there were about 225 members of the Mission, now 
there were more than three times as many — 744. Then 
there were 1,650 communicants in the churches, most of 
which were young; now there were 7,147. Then there were 
117 native helpers, now 605. Then there were 14 schools 
for native children, with 200 scholars; now there were 114 
schools, with 1,600 scholars, mostly the children of Christian 
parents, girls as well as boys. And the necessity of these 
will be apparent when we remember that the worship of 
Confucius is compulsory at all the ordinary schools, and 
that the heathen have no schools for girls. 

The Lord, who was thus steadily increasing the 
work of the Mission, now graciously brought about, 
through many of his stewards, a decided increase of 
the General Fund, from which most of its members 
are supported; an increase, as compared with the 
year before, of $25,000, or about 15 per cent., which 
fully provided for the year's increase of workers. 
For this gracious answer to prayer, it need hardly 
be said, much grateful praise went up to God! 

w W <V w w w TV" 

Mr. Hudson Taylor arrived in China, for the tenth 
time, early in January, 1898, being accompanied by 
Mrs. Taylor, Miss Hanbury (who now became prin- 
cipal of the Girls' School at Chefoo) and Miss Soltau. 
At Mr. Taylor's request, Miss Soltau had come out 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 371 

for a year's visit, with a very definite object in view. 
Before referring to this, a thought which was form- 
ing in Mr. Taylor's mind at this time, a most im- 
portant plan for the more thorough evangelization 
of China, must be mentioned. 

As in India, so in China, nine-tenths of the popula- 
tion are on the soil, and are dependent directly upon 
the products of agriculture for a subsistence. These 
are still, and of necessity, very largely outside the 
pale of missionary influence. For it is strategically 
right that missionary work should commence in the 
cities, as we have seen. 

But the time had now come, Mr. Taylor felt, when 
the villages and hamlets, the rural nine-tenths of the 
people ought to hear the message of salvation. With 
this end in view, a plan was drawn up, in the year 
1898, for a definite Forward Movement to these 
largely unreached masses. The proposal was to send 
missionaries, two and two, two natives and two for- 
eigners, to work on a definite system through all the 
villages and hamlets and country towns in a given 
district, with the aim in view of literally preaching 
the Gospel, as far as possible, to every creature. To 
accomplish this, it would be necessary to divide the 
field into workable districts. 

To this end, a commencement was made with the 
province of Kiang-si. With the exception of two 
sections, in which rural evangelization was already in 
progress, the province was divided into Rye evan- 
gelistic districts, of an average area half as large 



372 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

again as Massachusetts, and with an average popula- 
tion of four millions. 

In order to man these districts effectively, earnest, 
united prayer was requested for twenty evangelists, 
men of strong physique, of courage, and of faith in 
the power of the Gospel. Prayer was also asked for 
twenty native Christians of suitable gifts for this 
ministry, and for wisdom and good success in estab- 
lishing, in each of these districts, a center which 
should be the headquarters and home of four evan- 
gelists, and from which they would "go out into the 
highways and hedges and constrain them to come in." 

Those who offered for this work went out to 
China under a definite agreement not to settle down 
or marry for five years, but to give themselves wholly 
to this service. Three-fourths of their time, after 
the first year, would be given to systematic visitation 
through the district, the other quarter being devoted 
to spiritual refreshment and continued study of the 
language by the foreigners, and to a regular course 
of Bible study by the natives. 

It can easily be demonstrated that a thousand such 
evangelists could reach with the Gospel the men, 
women and children of China, within three, or at the 
outside, five years. Surely it was high time to set 
about a work so promising, so unspeakably needed, 
and so calculated to bring about a large increase in 
the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

This Forward Movement, for which special funds 
were available, was inaugurated in 1898, and was 



ELESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 373 

entered upon in the Kiang-si province during the 
next two years: one of the first workers to join it 
being Mr. Taylor's youngest son, Ernest Taylor. 

The Boxer catastrophe, so sadly reducing the 
number of missionaries available for existing work, 
has temporarily interfered with the prosecution of 
this new plan of campaign. If, however, our Lord's 
return is not yet, it is hoped that this definite effort 
toward fulfilling His last wish may be used to hasten 
His coming, Who has said that "this Gospel . 
shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony 
unto all the nations, and then shall the end come." 

For such a forward movement to be effective, as 
effective as it might, it was obviously necessary that 
much prayer should ascend to God for a widespread 
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in China. Such Pen- 
tecostal blessings have usually, perhaps always in the 
history of the Church, been preceded by times of 
definite waiting upon God. Pentecost begins with 
the praying disciples, and overflows to unconverted 
multitudes. 

That this blessing might begin with the mission- 
aries, the members of the Mission were invited to 
very definite agreed prayer. For the same reason 
Miss Soltau went out to China. And a few months 
later a deputation from Keswick, consisting of Mr. 
and Mrs. Charles Inwood, went out with the definite 
purpose of aiding, as God might prosper them, in 
this direction. 

Miss Soltau herself was an English lady who had 



374 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

been for many years a partial invalid, but bad been 
graciously restored in answer to prayer and witb a 
view to definite service. Her visit to Cbina was 
greatly blessed of God. First of all on arrival in 
Sbangbai sbe bad some remarkable meetings tbere. 
Tben at tbe Ladies' Training Home at Yang-cbau 
sbe was yet more blessedly used of God : wbile at tbe 
Men's Home at Gan-king, Mr. Stevenson, wbo was 
present, believed tbat every student in tbe Home re- 
ceived a fresb enduement of tbe Holy Spirit. Much 
blessing was granted also on a visit to tbe "ladies' 
stations" in Kiang-si. And later, at Nankin, mem- 
bers of many Missions were astonisbed, not only at 
the grace but also at the physical endurance given to 
this frail servant of the Lord, for from morning to 
night was one long sequence of meetings and inter- 
views, day after day. After a year of arduous labor, 
Miss Soltau returned home, followed by the grati- 
tude of many to whom she had been made a blessing. 
The Rev. Charles Inwood's visit was also a means 
of great refreshment to many, both in the China In- 
land Mission and other Societies. 

During this same year, 1898, the China Inland 
Mission Prayer Union, which had been a valued aux- 
iliary in North America for Rye years, was launched 
in England, and became an integral part of tbe Mis- 
sion as a whole. This Union is an organized form of 
that heart union in prayer, which has existed among 
the friends of the Mission, and has been so largely 
honored of God from the beginning. Its members, 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 375 

while bound by no pledge, give some time each day 
to prayer for the extension of God's Kingdom in 
China, for all its missionaries, and in particular for 
the workers, native and foreign, of the China Inland 
Mission. The members of this Union are rendering 
a profoundly important service, and with the in- 
creasing circle of regular subscribers, form an inner 
circle of "laborers together" for China, upon whom 
the success of the work in large measure depends. 

The year 1898 will long be memorable in the his- 
tory of China as the Year of Reform. During the 
summer, within the short space of three months, the 
young Emperor — whose progressive sympathies and 
earnest consideration of the problems of his country 
entitle him to its lasting gratitude — promulgated 
no less than ninety edicts, most of which were dis- 
tinctively "reform" edicts, and which, taken to- 
gether, would have done much to lift China out 
of the old ruts, and place her in a strong position 
before the world. 

It is true that the inertia of China is very great, 
and it may be that the Emperor Kwang-su was going 
too fast for his people in his attempt to introduce the 
civilization of the "West. At any rate, so thought 
the former Queen Regent, the Dowager Empress, 
but the strange thing was that the people at large 
seemed content, and many of the most intelligent 
more than content, at what was so rapidly trans- 
piring. This was so, even when, toward the end of 
the series, that astounding proclamation went forth 



376 THESE FORTY YEAES. 

that the idol temples of the country were to be 
closed (with the sole exception of those to Confucius 
and the god of war, which are used for state func- 
tions), were to be emptied of their images, and were 
to be reopened as schools and colleges of Western 
learning! 

This was, perhaps, the most remarkable imperial 
proclamation since the days of Nebuchadnezzar. 
And still more remarkable, and still more encour- 
aging, was the way the people took it. The news 
was soon telegraphed to the government offices all 
over the empire, and before the Shanghai and the 
T'ien-tsin newspapers could bring exact information 
to foreigners in the interior, the natives, Christians 
and heathen alike, were eagerly discussing this aston- 
ishing decree. 

Church members at T'ai-kang, a month's journey 
from the coast, gathered round the writer, asking: 
"Can it be true?" How he wished it might be, but 
it seemed too good! ~Not long after, the papers came 
with the news : and profound thanksgiving ascended 
to God, from this and many other stations, as the 
news spread across the empire. 

Of course this change of policy brought about an 
immense change in the scholarly classes. From the 
missionaries alone, in most cases, could they obtain 
authoritative information, as to what was the "West- 
ern learning," and how books could be obtained on 
mathematics, geography, astronomy, and the history 
of the world. 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 377 

At the same time, also, of course, their haughty 
contemptuous attitude was entirely changed to one 
of equality and even cordiality toward the foreigner. 
This was valuable primarily as giving a golden oppor- 
tunity of reaching, with the Gospel, many who had 
hitherto held aloof. Secondarily, it was of great 
value because the masses of the people always in- 
stinctively follow, very naturally, their leaders, and 
this would result in greater personal safety and much 
more freedom from petty annoyance. 

It was not to be expected, however, that the great 
Enemy of God, and of mankind, would permit this 
terrific blow to be hurled at idolatry from the throne, 
without straining every nerve to ward it off. He 
succeeded, too, for the time, and did so by causing the 
downfall of the Emperor before the Dowager Em- 
press: who has ever since been the actual, and to a 
certain extent even the nominal ruler of the country. 
Space fails to tell the details of the story. Suffice it 
to say that this coup d'etat resulted in the abrogation 
of all these progressive edicts, including that doing 
away with the old-fashioned literary essay as the 
principal element of the civil service examination of 
candidates for official positions and emoluments. It 
resulted in the decapitation of some of the most en- 
lightened and progressive statesmen of the country, 
and the flight of others. It seemed as though the 
hopes of China were being put back by decades at 
a stroke. 

Happily, however, after this policy had culminated 



378 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

in the terrible Boxer cataclysm, more enlightened 
counsel again prevailed at Pekin. "Western learn- 
ing" is now again ascendant, and is becoming a part 
of the civil service curriculum throughout the em- 
pire. Once more there seems good hope, if the em- 
pire can hold together, of rapid progress being made 
during the next few years. 

But to return: from the missionary point of view 
the most important event of the year 1898 was the 
opening up of additional stations in the province of 
Hu-nan, for which so many thousands of prayers had 
gone up to God. Three new stations were opened 
by the China Inland Mission, one or more by the 
Christian Alliance ; the London Mission also consider- 
ably extended its work, mainly by native agents un- 
der foreign supervision, and converts came to be 
numbered by scores, in this province which had so 
long held out against the entrance of the Truth. 

Seventy-one new missionaries were sent out within 
the year, bringing up the total to about eight hun- 
dred. The death rate was mercifully low, only 9.9 
per thousand. And the General Fund was again 
increased at the same rate as the membership, as in 
the previous year; in addition to which there was a 
further increase of over $50,000 for special purposes, 
which permitted many much-needed repairs to be 
effected, besides considerable extension of the work. 

There was a slight diminution in the number of 
baptisms, explained by a serious rebellion in western 
China and grave troubles in other districts, which 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 379 

considerably hampered the work in these localities. 
It was comforting to find, moreover, that the de- 
crease, slight as it was, was wholly accounted for in 
the one province of Cheh-kiang, most of the other 
provinces showing a decided improvement. 

It had long been a cause for profound gratitude to 
God that, through all these years of the Mission's 
history, not one life had been lost by accident, on 
land or sea, and that not one member or associate had 
been called upon to win a martyr's crown. That this 
was the answer to definite prayer no one doubted. 
And praise and thanksgiving often went up to God 
on this account from members and friends of the 
Mission. 

JSTow, at last, an exception occurred. Away in the 
west a missionary was working alone among the 
Aborigines at P'ang-hai, in the province of Kuei- 
chau. A plot was made against his life, one of the 
chief instigators of which was a small military man- 
darin. It became advisable to leave the station, 
which the missionary did, with a native evangelist 
and teacher. They traveled thirteen miles toward 
the capital of the province, lunched at a wayside vil- 
lage, and shortly afterwards the native evangelist 
(himself a native of the Miao tribe of Aborigines) 
was set upon by three men with swords and quickly 
killed. Mr. Fleming, who might have easily escaped 
upon his mule, leaped from the animal, in the hope of 
persuading the men to cease attacking the evangelist, 
and in a few minutes had paid with his life for the 



380 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

attempt to save his brother. The teacher fled by 
circuitous paths, and brought the sad news to Kuei- 
yang. 

An official and soldiers were dispatched with Mr. 
Adam, who went immediately to make arrangements 
for the funeral. The bodies had meanwhile been 
placed in coffins and were under the care of an official 
guard. A piece of land was given at P'ang-hai by 
the Chinese authorities for the purpose, and with 
due ceremony the two martyrs were reverently 
buried at the station for which their lives had been 
given. Thirty or more Miao inquirers were present 
at the funeral, and gave all the help they could. And 
it is solemnly encouraging to learn that a wide and 
effectual door for the preaching of the Gospel was 
opened in that region as the sequel to this sad event. 

Within about a year from Mr. Fleming's death 
there were remarkable evidences of a revival in the 
district around P'ang-hai, which can be satisfactorily 
accounted for in no other way than as a gracious 
operation of the Holy Spirit in answer to much 
prayer, called forth by the martyrdom of Mr. Flem- 
ing and his colleague. 

Within twelve months Mr. Waters, of Kuei-yang, 
sent home an interesting account of a visitation in 
that district, which was published in extenso in 
China's Millions, from which we can only now 
quote the brief concluding paragraph: "I do not 
know the exact number of those who desire their 
names to be enrolled as inquirers, but there must be 



H 
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BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 381 

over two hundred. In the villages I visited, I went 
into many houses, and all traces of idolatry had dis- 
appeared, their place being taken by texts of Scrip- 
tures, Gospel tracts, and Christian calendars." Ver- 
ily, God can make the wrath of man to praise Him! 

May the Lord grant that the recent terrible trou- 
bles in China may likewise result, as indeed they are 
already resulting, in greatly increased facilities for 
preaching the Gospel. And may a mighty outpour- 
ing of the Holy Spirit, in answer to the earnest prayer 
of many, bring about a large ingathering of souls in 
the not distant future. 

In many respects, 1899 was a year of gratifying 
progress. The work of the Mission was carried on 
satisfactorily throughout the country; the number of 
baptisms was slightly larger than the year before; 
there was also an addition of forty-seven new mem- 
bers to the Mission; and while the hearts of the 
workers were saddened by the loss of eleven of their 
number, this was, after all, only at the rate of 13-J 
per thousand. 

The income this year was somewhat less than the 
year before. But 1898 was most exceptional in this 
respect, as we have seen, showing the total increase 
on the year before of $80,000. The income of 1899 
was half-way between the two, less by $40,000 than 
that of 1898, but more by $40,000 than that of 1897. 
There was, therefore, no hardship involved for any 
of the workers, and the only noticeable result was 
that certain aggressive steps, certain enlargements 



382 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

of the work and improvements of Mission premises, 
which would otherwise have been undertaken, were 
necessarily postponed. While the leaders of the 
Mission were conscious of this restraint, it did not 
cause them any anxiety. The Lord makes no mis- 
takes. Little did they divine the reason which 
prompted the Great Treasurer to dictate, in this way, 
a policy of consolidation rather than expansion. It 
was all made clear enough next year ! For a while all 
went well outwardly. But signs were not wanting in 
certain parts of China, especially in the northeastern 
provinces, that below the surface forces were at work 
which threatened the gravest peril. 

In the province of Shan-tung, especially in the 
wild western mountainous region toward Ho-nan, 
there had been in existence for upward of a hundred 
years, a society now notorious, but then little known. 
Its hidden purpose, like that of many other secret 
societies in China, had been to liberate the people 
from the present' semi-foreign Manchu dynasty, and 
to seat once more on the throne a Chinaman as the 
"Son of Heaven," "the Yicar of the Supreme Ruler 
on the earth." This society had been firmly held in 
check by the authorities, and had done no harm to 
speak of, at any rate not sufficient for its fame to 
spread. 

The astonishing German reprisal for the murder 
of two Catholic missionaries in this province, which 
included the seizure of the prosperous port of Kiao- 
chau and the territory for miles around, and the con- 



BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 383 

cession of mining and railroad monopolies through- 
out the province, besides the building of memorial 
chapels and monuments where the double murder 
had taken place, and the indemnification of the mis- 
sionaries' relatives, so outraged the sense of justice 
of the governor and of every intelligent official in 
the province that the usual animosity against for- 
eigners was as a furnace seven times heated. This 
one can easily understand, when to radical hatred is 
added fierce indignation at outrageous wrong. The 
consequence might well be serious. 

Russia, moreover, in addition to her steady en- 
croachment in Manchuria, now seized Port Arthur 
and a large tract of adjacent country, besides giving 
evidence of a covetous eye toward Korea, the inde- 
pendence of which had been guaranteed, mainly 
through Russian influence, at the close of China's 
disastrous war with Japan. 

"To maintain the balance of power" in the East, 
England demanded the cession of a strip of the main- 
land overlooking the island of Hong-kong, as well as 
a long lease of Wei-hai-wei, the northern port which 
had just been evacuated by the Japanese, their war 
indemnity having been paid in full. And only a few 
years before, it will be remembered, France had 
seized the large and fertile province of Ton-kin, to 
the south of China proper. 

For all these national outrages China could see, 
very naturally, neither rhyme nor reason; neither 
could any one else. It was enough to stir the bitterest 



384 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

animosity that can be stirred in any people's national 
consciousness, especially when taken in conjunction 
with the long-standing injustice, the unmitigated 
iniquity of the opium traffic; than which, probably, 
no greater national crime has ever been committed 
in the history of the world. For, a hundred years 
ago China was practically free from the vice of opium 
smoking, and now all classes of its people are being 
degraded, steadily and increasingly, by the use of 
what is still called the "foreign drug." This, as every 
one knows, was forced upon them by British con- 
querors, in spite of every protest, in spite of every 
appeal to reason, to pity, and to righteousness. Well 
may the Chinese hate the foreigner; the only wonder 
is that they do not hate him more ! 

In the year 1899 Italy followed up the various 
acts of rapacity which have already been mentioned, 
by asking for a naval station at San-mun bay, some 
distance south of Shanghai. "Even a worm will 
turn:" and the indignant government of China turned 
at this last affront, and definitely refused. Their 
attitude was firm, and their position was right; and 
Italy had sufficient moral rectitude to accept the 
refusal. 

But an unexpected outcome resulted. Certain ad- 
visers of the government felt: We have only to op- 
pose all this reckless aggression, and our territory 
will remain our own. "China for the Chinese," was 
their position; one with which every right-minded 
man must surely sympathize. And the counsels of 






BLESSEDLY UNEVENTFUL YEAES. 



385 



these courageous, if misguided, advisers prevailed. 
But the rest of that story must be told in the follow- 
ing chapter. From this time forward trouble began 
to brew. 

25 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 

The year 1899 ended ominously. In the month of 
November the Dowager Empress issued an edict 
which fanned the smouldering embers of resentment. 
After reference to the grave difficulties under which 
the empire was laboring, the edict continued, only 
too truly, "The various powers cast upon us looks of 
tiger-like voracity, hustling each other in their en- 
deavors to be first to seize upon our territories. They 
think that China, having neither money nor troops, 
would never venture to go to war. They fail to un- 
derstand, however, that there are certain things to 
which this empire can never consent, 

"Should any official find himself so hard pressed 
that nothing but war would settle matters, he is ex- 
pected to set himself, resolutely, to work out his duty 
to this end. . . . Under such circumstances 
there is no possible chance of ... . immediate 
negotiation. Never should the word 'peace' fall from 
the lips of our high officials, nor should it even for a 
moment rest within their hearts. With such a coun- 
try as ours, with her vast area, her immense re- 
sources, and hundreds of millions of inhabitants, what 
indeed is there to fear from the invader? Let no one 
think of making peace, but let each seek to preserve 

386 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 387 

his ancestral home and graves from destruction and 
spoliation at the ruthless hand of the invader." 

The effect of such an incendiary proclamation — 
with so much truth behind it — going throughout the 
empire and posted in large characters in each city, 
could not but be tremendous. And the last day of 
the old year brought sad warning of the coming storm 
in the death of the Eev. S. P. Brooks, of the S. P. G., 
in the boundary country between Shan-tung and 
Chih-li. 

Before continuing the dark story of the troubles in 
China, it will perhaps be well to leave the regular 
historical sequence for a moment to recall one or two 
occasions whereby the hearts of many were prepared 
of God for what would follow. 

The last week of April, 1900, witnessed the great- 
est missionary gathering that the world has ever seen. 
Representatives of all the principal Missionary Socie- 
ties, Directors, Secretaries, Board-men, Councillors, 
and 800 missionaries of over 100 Societies, gathered 
together on the 23rd of April, in the great and hos- 
pitable city of ISTew York. 

The Conference was greeted and welcomed at its 
opening session by the President of the United States 
and the Governor of the "Empire" State. Between 
four and five thousand people crowded the Carnegie 
Music Hall, beside two simultaneous overflow meet- 
ings, with an attendance of two or three thousand 
each. And these multitudes gathered day by day for 
a week and a half to hear of the progress and consider 



388 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

the problems of world-wide evangelization. The Con- 
ference closed on the 1st of May, with a farewell 
address from an ex-President of the United States, 
Benjamin Harrison. The whole city was stirred. 
The news of the meetings was telegraphed all over 
the continent, and indeed through Christendom. 
And the great heart of the Church universal 
"thanked God" for the results which the nineteenth 
century had witnessed, "and took courage" for the 
days to come, little thinking what dark days would 
supervene in the immediate future. 

It is hardly possible to doubt that the Providence 
of God timed this great gathering — for which such 
an array of incontrovertible facts had been brought 
together, as to the progress of the cause of Christ 
throughout the world. 

Por the members and friends of the China Inland 
Mission, the Annual Meetings held in London four 
weeks later were also profoundly encouraging in 
many ways; and especially, perhaps, by reason of one 
significant incident which occurred on May 29th. 

Por a day or two previously, thirty or forty mem- 
bers on furlough gathered three times a day for 
special prayer. At one of these meetings, Mr. 
Sloan, the Secretary, mentioned the matter of funds, 
which he felt perfectly free to do, as no one else was 
present. "For three months," he said, "our receipts 
have been considerably below the average, and have 
fallen short of our usual income by £5,000. Of 
course, we are not in debt; we never do go into debt, as 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 389 

you know; but I grieve to think of the embarrassment 
that may result on the field to many branches of the 
work. Happily, the personal needs of all the mis- 
sionaries have been provided for, but in order that 
the work may go on unimpeded, I should be glad if 
we might all unite in agreed prayer to God, that He 
will graciously make up the deficiency." 

Prayer followed, and praise — one worker, after 
thanking the Lord for all His gracious provision for 
the work during thirty-five years, went on to praise 
Him for the coming answer to the petition for 
£5,000. 

Next day, just before the great evening meeting, 
the other Secretary, Mr. Wood, recognized in the 
rear of the hall a warm friend and regular con- 
tributor from the north of England. After shaking 
hands with him, and asking him if he had come three 
hundred miles on purpose to be present, which proved 
to be the case, Mr. Wood invited him to take a seat on 
the platform, where he would hear better. This he de- 
clined, on account of the necessity of catching a return 
train after the meeting. And then he handed Mr. 
Wood an envelope, saying that from the published 
list of donations in China's Millions he had noticed 
that for three months the receipts had been consid- 
erably below par, and added that he felt the Lord had 
laid it on his heart to "make up the deficiency." The 
envelope contained a check for £5,000, and was 
signed and dated the day before, the very day on 
which such earnest and expectant prayer went up to 



390 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

God, three hundred miles away, for just that 
sum. The grateful conviction — the Lord is 

with us — came to the scattered members of the Mis- 
sion, as they heard of this gracious provision of the 
Lord. 

January, 1900, was but five days old, when the now 
infamous "father of the Boxers," Yu-hsien, was sum- 
moned to Pekin, and superseded as governor of Shan- 
tung by an enlightened and honorable statesman, the 
present Viceroy Yuan Wei-t'ing (better known 
among foreigners by his less dignified given name of 
Yuan Shi-k ? ai), whose personal friendship has been 
both a pleasure and a help to the writer. 

So far, good. For Yu-hsien, who had been rapidly 
promoted a year or so previously from being prefect 
of Ts'ao-chau to the governorship of Shan-tung, had 
encouraged and fostered the feeble society of 
"Boxers" until it had become a very formidable or- 
ganization. E"ow, however, he was at Pekin, nomi- 
nally under the imperial displeasure. - 

Only two months later, after lavish expenditure of 
money at the capital, Yu-hsien was appointed gov- 
ernor of Shan-si, in spite of the fact that he had been 
degraded so shortly before for acknowledged com- 
plicity in the grave troubles in Shan-tung, which cul- 
minated in the murder of Mr. Brooks. 

Remonstrance at this extraordinary appointment 
was of no avail. The new governor was accompa- 
nied, or preceded, to T'ai-yuan the capital of Shan-si, 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 391 

by companies of Boxers, who drilled in their military 
arts and initiated into their occult practices, num- 
berless men and boys throughout this and neighbor- 
ing provinces. Thus, through the northeast of 
China, the Boxer peril grew. 

Within a few weeks of this time the storm clouds 
began to burst. Yu-hsien was appointed governor of 
Shan-si on the 15th of March; on the 14th day a lead- 
ing Christian, Elder Si, was fiercely attacked and 
stabbed by the Boxers. This man Si, a greatly be- 
loved member of the Church at Hung-tung, was a 
man of a beautiful spirit, and had been unanimously 
elected four years previously as the successor to the 
lamented Pastor Hsi, as superintendent of the opium 
work and native missionary society in ISTorth China, 
to which reference has been made. 

Dr. Millar Wilson, reckless of the risk to his own 
life, went immediately to do what he could for the 
elder, and as a result his life was saved. The shock, 
however, seriously affected his health, followed as it 
was by months of terrible sufferings and privations. 
And after about a year, this worthy, faithful follower 
of the Master went to his reward. 

It was natural that he should be the first to suffer. 
Was he not the leader of the most important native 
missionary movement in North China, at once more 
exposed to the fury of the Boxers in his country 
home, and less under the protection of the author- 
ities than the missionaries? Malice and cowardice 
equally pointed him out as the first butt of the Boxer 



392 THESE FOETY YEARS. 

fury. This, however, was but the beginning of 
troubles. Nine days later the home of Pastor Hsi's 
widow was attacked and this courageous and devoted 
lady severely beaten. This was before any of the 
missionaries in Shan-si had suffered violence. 

In considering the events that follow, we shall 
bear in mind, of course, that for all this exhibition 
of antipathy, there were great and sufficient national 
reasons. There were, in addition, several important 
local causes. The diversion of the carrying trade — 
an immense industry in a country like China — from 
the old channels, by land, canal, and river, to foreign- 
built and foreign-officered steamships, has already 
been referred to as a cause of discontent to many 
among the laboring classes. The building now of 
railroads, involving the survey of tracks across home- 
steads and farms, and, worst of all, ancestral burying 
places, aggravated by the rapacity of the native offi- 
cials, through whom was and is transacted the busi- 
ness of acquiring the necessary land, called forth 
wide-spread and often bitter resentment. 

These operations would surely interfere with and 
perhaps ruin the Peng-shui — the geomantic influences 
that make for weal or woe. Of this there was ample 
proof, to those whose minds were already made up, 
by the long-continued drought' and famine. Even 
the telegraph wires and poles, now found in every 
province, were serious disturbers of the peace! 

Moreover, in the year 1899, the long struggle of 
the Roman Catholic priests for political power and 




ENGAGED IN THE CARRYING TRADE. 




HARROWING A RICE FIELD WITH A WATER BUFFALO. 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 393 

prestige came to a climax, we cannot say to a suc- 
cessful issue, when, as the result of long-continued 
pressure from the French ambassador and others, 
an imperial decree was promulgated conferring offi- 
cial status upon every Catholic priest in the country, 
arid very high official status at that. For bishops 
rank with viceroys, archdeacons with great provin- 
cial mandarins, and the ordinary clergymen with pre- 
fects and other local magnates. 

It was all they had desired and agitated for for 
years. At last they had gained the day. And with it 
they had gained also an added hatred throughout the 
empire. For the interference of the Roman Catholic 
priests, in civil and legal matters at the native law 
courts, is one of the greatest of all the grievances 
which the Chinese complain of, and writhe under, 
at the hands of foreigners. Again and again 

during the troubles which followed the lives of 
Protestant missionaries were saved by their being 
able to prove that they were not Catholic, but Prot- 
estant, workers. 

And, probably, the last and culminating cause of 
trouble was the open proposal to "partition the em- 
pire" among the "Powers" of the "West. Anyone can 
see that, groaning under such wrongs and grievances, 
serious trouble might well not only be feared, but 
be expected. 

As will long be remembered, May ended with the 
representatives of foreign Powers and a number of 



394 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

missionaries beleaguered in Pekin. On the last day 
of the month some hundreds of foreign soldiers and 
marines arrived to protect the legations, and from that 
time onward communication with the coast was cut 
off by the destruction of the Pekin-Tien-tsin Rail- 
way. It is needless here to describe the six weeks of 
siege which followed: six weeks during which the 
diplomatic representatives of the Western world and 
the missionaries were brought into contact under 
exceptionally trying circumstances. The opinion 
formed from that association will be gathered from 
the following letter from United States Minister 

Conger : 

"Peking, August 16th, 1900. 

"The Besieged American Missionabies: To one and all 
of you, so providentially saved from certain massacre: 

"I beg, in this hour of our deliverance, to express what I 
know to be the universal sentiment of our diplomatic corps 
— the sincere appreciation of, and profound gratitude for 
the inestimable help which you and the native Christians 
under you have rendered toward our preservation. Without 
your intelligent and successful planning, and the uncom- 
plaining execution of work by the Chinese, I believe our 
salvation would have been impossible. 

"By your courteous consideration of me, and your con- 
tinued patience under most trying occasions, I have been 
most deeply touched, and for it all I thank you most 
heartily. 

"I hope and believe that somehow, in God's unerring 
plan, your sacrifices and danger will bear rich fruit in the 
material and spiritual welfare of the people to whom you 
have so nobly devoted your lives and works. 

"Assuring you of my personal respect and gratitude, 

very sincerely yours, 

"E. H. Conger." 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 395 

The first members of the China Inland Mission 
to lay down their lives were thirteen Swedish mis- 
sionaries in the far north of Shan-si. They were 
martyred on or about the 29th of June. Previously 
to this two more members of the English Episcopal 
S. P. G. were murdered in the south of Chih-li; 
and on the 27th of the same month a member of the 
Sheo-yang Mission laid down her life at T'ai-yuan. 
On the last day of the same sad month, Miss Whit- 
church and Miss Searell, of the China Inland Mis- 
sion, were murdered at a station three days south 
of the Shan-si capital. 

For full and authentic details concerning these 
and other workers, and their triumphant death, the 
reader is referred to the profoundly interesting his- 
tory, "Martyred Missionaries,"* which not only con- 
tains a record of the grace and courage given to these 
martyrs before and in the hour of death, but also 
contains thrilling accounts of how scores of other 
missionaries were delivered, as by a miracle, from 
countless dangers and perils and hardships, and 
finally, by the good hand of God were brought down 
to the coast and to peace. 

Mr. Moody was once asked, after one of his great 
and successful meetings: "Have you grace to be a 
martyr?" "No," he replied, "I have not. But if 
God wanted me to be one, He would give me a 
martyr's grace." That this was indeed so with those 

♦"Martyred Missionaries" may be ordered from the 
offices of the Mission. Price, $1.25, postpaid. 



396 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

who were called to lay down their lives at this time 
there can be little doubt. The last letters of the 
martyrs are among the most touching things that 
have ever been written, some of them especially. 
Space will only admit of quoting three out of many 
other similar letters that might be adduced. 

On the 28th of June, after the legations had been 
besieged for four weeks, and the missionaries further 
inland had come through weeks of gravest anxiety 
and peril, Miss Edith Sear ell wrote to a fellow- 
missionary in a neighboring station : a A mighty fort- 
ress is our God: and in Him we are safe for time 
and for eternity. Shall we murmur if we have less 
of time than we expected? The less of time the more 
of heaven." Two days later she was with the Lord. 
When this Miss Searell was leaving home (New Zea- 
land) for China in 1895, just before the steamer 
sailed, she said to a friend: "There is nothing I would 
count a greater honor than to wear a martyr's 
crown." 

Mr. and Mrs. Peat were old and valued workers 
of the Mission. "When hiding among the hills prior 
to their martyrdom Mr. Peat wrote to his loved ones 
at home: "The soldiers are just on us. . . . "We 
shall soon be with Christ, which is very far better 
for us. We can only now be sorry for you who are 
left behind, and our dear native Christians. Good- 
bye. We rejoice that we are made partakers of the 
sufferings of Christ." 

At the same time Miss May Nathan was in hiding 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 397 

with two other missionaries not very far away from 
Mr. and Mrs. Peat. In her last long letter to her 
mother she says: "Who will be the next? Perhaps 
we shall. . . . Darling mother, don't be anxions, 
whatever news yon may hear of me. It will seem 
useless in the eyes of the world to come out here 
for a year, to be jnst getting on with the language, 
then to be cut off. Many will say, 'Why did she go? 
Wasted life.' Darling, no. Trust: — God does His 
very best, and never makes mistakes. . . . We 
are glad to suffer with Jesus. . . . Death is but 
the gate of life; we shall see His face, and darling 
mother, I'll wait and long for you there." 

The worst time of all was that long, hot, terrible 
mid-summer month of July. On its first day the 
Deputy Director in China, Mr. William Cooper, uni- 
versally beloved throughout the Mission, was mur- 
dered at Pao-ting Pu, Chih-li, with Mr. Bagnall and 
his wife and child. 

About this time was promulgated that crudest of 
all the decrees of the Dowager Empress, the in- 
famous secret edict: 

"Yang-ren pi shah, 
T'ui huei ki shah." 

"All foreigners must be killed; 
Though fleeing homeward, kill them." 

After this, of course, rioting became general in 
the provinces nearest to the capital. Happily, how- 



398 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

ever, the resolute stand taken by the two Yang-tse 
Viceroys, their Excellencies Chang Chih-tung and 
Iiu E?un-yi, prevented the spread of this sanguinary 
persecution throughout the empire; indeed, pre- 
vented it in three-fourths of China, with the sole ex- 
ception of a disturbed district in the southern prov- 
ince of Cheh-kiang. Here the provincial judge pre- 
vailed upon the governor to forward to Kiu-chau the 
above-mentioned "secret edict," delaying until too 
late the friendly agreement entered into by the Yang- 
tse viceroys with the foreign Powers, which was to 
the effect that, come what may, they would afford 
adequate protection to foreigners and native Chris- 
tians alike. 

The most terrible occurrence of all this deplorable 
time was on the afternoon of July 9th, at T'ai-yuan, 
where the governor of Shan-si beheaded twenty-five 
Protestant missionaries, nine children and eleven 
Roman Catholic priests. The suspense and anxiety 
and hardships through which they had come lasted 
for several weeks, but it is comforting to know that 
the end was brief, and that none of the adults showed 
any signs of fear, some of the children merely cover- 
ing their faces with their hands. After beheading 
these missionaries, the governor reported this action 
to Pekin, and there and then claimed the prize-money 
— sixty ounces of silver each — for the foreigners, 
most of whom he had invited into his Yamen for 
protection. 

Among the missionaries' children who thus laid 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 399 

down their lives on July 9th, were the two little 
daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Atwater, of the American 
Board, who themselves, five weeks later, were mar- 
tyred near Fen-chau Fu. One of Mrs. Atwater's last 
letters (written after two months of suspense) refers 
to the death of her step-daughters with the rest of 
the missionary company at T'ai-yuan, and continues, 
"I am preparing for the end very quietly and calmly. 
The Lord is wonderfully near, and He will not fail 
me. I was very restless and excited while there 
seemed a chance of life, but God has taken away that 
feeling, and now I just pray for grace to meet the 
terrible end bravely. The pain will soon be over; 
and oh, the sweetness of the welcome above ! My 
little baby will go with me. I think God will give it 
to me in heaven. ... I cannot imagine the Saviour's 
welcome. That will compensate for all these days 
of suspense. . . . I do not regret coming to China, 
but I am sorry I have done so little. My married 
life, two precious years, has been so very full of hap- 
piness. We will die together, my dear husband 
and I." 

About the same time as the T'ai-yuan tragedy, 
rioting commenced in the province of Ho-nan, im- 
mediately to the south. But here, as by a miracle, 
every life was spared, and although the missionaries 
escaped as best they could, and had to suffer many 
perils and privations, they all at last, in answer to 
many prayers, came safely to the coast. Wonderful, 
indeed, was the escape of Mr. and Mrs. Conway and 



400 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

their little infant, with Dr. Whitfield Guinness and 
Miss Watson, from Shae-k'i-tien. 

The Mission premises were wrecked when the riot- 
ing began, and were soon entirely destroyed. For 
fifteen long days the four missionaries and the month- 
old baby were in hiding in the homes mostly of 
heathen friends and neighbors, through whose gen- 
erous aid they finally succeeded in escaping. During 
these two awful weeks they were being pursued by 
mandarins, soldiers, and rioters that they might kill 
them, in obedience to the imperial edict. After 
almost incredible escapes they at last got clear away 
in carts. Some miles below the town they were 
transferred to a boat, and so came safely down, by 
the Han river, to Han-kow. 

Of all these long and terrible journeys, the most 
eventful, probably, was that of Mr. Saunders, his 
family and fellow-missionaries, who traveled for 
seven long weeks through Shan-si, Ho-nan, and Hu- 
peh. Two days south of T'ai-yuan is the important 
banking center of P'ing-yao, where Mr. Saunders 
had been stationed for many years. Toward the 
end of June this station was rioted and looted. The 
missionaries escaped safely to the Yanien; but find- 
ing that it would be impossible for the officials to 
protect them there, they left next morning at day- 
break, under official escort, for T'ai-yuan. When 
within seven miles of that city they were met, provi- 
dentially, by a native Christian, who told them of 
the rioting in the city, that Miss Coombs had already 



THE BOXEE CRISIS. 401 

been killed, and that the rest were surrounded by 
thousands of people in the home of the Rev. G. B. 
Farthing, of the English Baptist Mission. 

Seeing that it was certain death to proceed, they 
turned southward. Another week's journey, paying 
blackmail repeatedly, brought them to Lu-ch'eng, 
where they found Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Cooper and 
other missionaries. These heard now for the first 
time authentic reports of what was going on at the 
capital, and so, through the soldier escort, did the 
people of the district. 

After the briefest possible delay they all started 
out together, eight missionaries and six children, and 
the account of the next week's travel is one of the 
crudest things on record. During that week one of 
his company was beaten to death, all of the party 
were for two days without food and water, save grass 
and the dirty puddles by the roadside. They were 
robbed of everything they possessed, being left for 
part of the time with only one garment apiece, bare- 
headed, bare-shouldered, and barefooted, under that 
almost tropical summer sun : yet not one of them suf- 
fered from sunstroke. They were reminded of the 
promise, "The sun shall not smite thee by day." But 
as a result of those eight days of hardship and priva- 
tion, of cruel beatings and persecutions, another mis- 
sionary, Miss Huston, died a month later from a 
wound in the head, and Mrs. Ernest Cooper followed 
her within a week. 

As soon as they passed beyond the jurisdiction of 

26 



402 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

Governor Yu-hsien, things became a little better. 
But even then they were forwarded across Ho-nan, 
from city to city, as common criminals, and suffered 
severely from the hardships of such traveling by day, 
and from being crowded together in filthy prisons by 
night. At K'ioh-shan, which for a short time, years 
before, had been a station of the Mission, they re- 
ceived some kindness; and at Sin-yang (the present 
limit, 1902, of the railroad that is rapidly being 
pushed northward from Han-kow) they were very 
kindly treated by the mandarin. 

~No sooner had they reached the province of Hu- 
peh than they, and some other missionaries who had 
joined them at Sin-yang, were treated with every 
possible kindness, owing to the friendly attitude of 
his Excellency Chang Chih-tung. And after seven 
long weeks and a journey of 900 miles, much of it 
on foot, they at last reached safely the Mission Home 
at Han-kow. 

A hundred miles north of this city, Mrs. Cooper 
could go no farther. Her life had been beautiful: 
and in death her faith was strong, and her love for 
the people unabated after all that had transpired. 
There was just one regret on her mind, beside the 
natural pain of leaving husband and children, and 
this was — that she could not return to Shan-si, which 
she so ardently desired, that she might tell the people 
more of the love of Jesus for them. 

It is not necessary here to give further details of 
this period. But it is only right to say that certain 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 403 

grievous statements about lady missionaries, which 
appeared in many of the daily papers at the time, 
were absolutely untrue.* The facts which have been 
given above are examples, in briefest outline, of what 
did actually happen ; permitted of God in wisdom, we 
cannot doubt, and in love, for some sufficient reason. 
We may safely look to Him to vindicate Himself in 
due season. Of this there will be more to say later. 

One other case may, perhaps, be mentioned — the 
experience of Mr. and Mrs. Green and Miss Gregg, 
of Hwai-lu, in the province of Chih-li. These mis- 
sionaries, after fleeing to the mountains and remain- 
ing in hiding for some weeks, at length fell into the 
hands of the Boxers. (The whole story is most 
touchingly told, without a trace of unkindly feeling 
toward their persecutors, in "Martyred Missionaries" 
and in the booklet, "In Death's Oft," by Mr. Green.) 
For three months they remained in the hands of the 
Boxers, suffering many hardships and privations, and 
hurried from one place to another. On seven suc- 
cessive occasions the Boxers determined to put them 
to death. But their time was not yet: each time it 
was prevented, until at length their captors said, 
"These people live a charmed life; we cannot kill 
them: we had better let them go." 

On one occasion they were taken from the city, 
where they had been imprisoned for some time, down 
the river. Their guard had secret orders from the 

*See China's Millions for February, 1901. Article by B. 
Broomhall, on page 18 (London Edition). 



404 THESE FOKTY YEARS. 

mandarin to put them to death in a lonely spot by 
the river, that no blame might fall on the city or on 
him. As they floated down the stream the callous 
soldiers sharpened their swords before the eyes of 
their victims. Remonstrance was useless. The boat 
was brought to anchor and they were told to go 
ashore. Mr. Green, carrying baby John in his arms, 
left the boat first, in order to help the ladies ashore, 
and little five-year-old Yera and the ladies followed. 
When thev reached the bank Mr. Green turned and 
gave the captain of the boat a bow in Chinese style, 
saying as he did so, "Thank you, sir." Little Yera 
then crossed her hands, and making the captain a 
charming bow (like a little Chinese lady), repeated 
her father's words, and said, "Thank you, sir." All 
this was too much for the burly captain. He turned 
to his men, and said, "Look here, men, we cannot kill 
these people; we had better leave them alone." And 
he sprang on his boat, called off his followers, and 
again they were saved ! At last God raised up 

a friend, in a Chinaman, who, after secretly convey- 
ing a message of sympathy to them announcing his 
plan and good wishes, went down to T'ien-tsin and 
brought a rescue party, by whom, at last, they were 
escorted to the coast. 

This was, of course, far on in the autumn. One 
other party still remained in Shan-si, under official 
protection, after many weeks of hiding among the 
hills. During the winter they came down to Han- 
kow under suitable escort, arriving early in 1901. 



THE BOXER CRISIS. 405 

'Such is a brief outline of the sufferings of the mis- 
sionaries. It has not been possible to say much about 
the similar experiences of the native Christians, 
which have not only endeared them to the hearts of 
their missionary brethren, but have raised them high 
in the esteem of the Christian world. 

Their old contemptuous uickname of "rice Chris- 
tians" (mercenary pretenders), is now seldom, if ever, 
heard at the treaty ports. Nearly three hundred 
Protestant church members were killed in the prov- 
ince of Shan-si. In Chih-li and Shan-tung many 
more were massacred, refusing to recant; refusing, 
even though it was explained to them as a purely 
nominal recantation. No, they would not deny their 
Lord and Saviour. Cruelties, like those of the Inqui- 
sition, were tried in vain. Others were hunted away 
from their homes; they hid in dens and caves of the 
earth; they were "destitute, afflicted, tormented," "of 
whom the world was not worthy," and in many, many 
cases they were faithful unto death. 

Some there were, of course, who recanted under 
the double strain of those awful times, and of kindly 
official persuasion. Little wonder that some failed 
and fell! Surely, under similar circumstances — if 
such were possible — it would have been much the 
same in a Christian country. And since missionary 
operations have been resumed, bitter has been the 
sorrow and repentance expressed by many of those 
who recanted. 

As to the sufferings of beloved friends at home, 



406 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

it is needless, perhaps, to say much in this place. God 
knows : and God will not forget the anguish they suf- 
fered for His sake. Mr. Hudson Taylor, who was in 
Switzerland slowly convalescing after serious over- 
work, suffered all that terrible summer as poignantly 
as any one out of China. So keen was his anguish of 
heart for his dear friends in the field that for some 
time he could not sleep, he could not eat, he could 
hardly think or even pray. His condition became so 
serious that it was necessary to withhold the cable- 
grams and other news until he was able to recover a 
little and hear in outline the remainder of the long, 
sad tale. When it was all over, and the escaped 
workers were at last safely at the coast, he repeatedly 
expressed the wish that he might return to China, if 
it were only to weep with those who had come 
through so much for Jesus' sake. 

Mr. Taylor did not have that privilege, and still 
(at seventy-one years of age) has to spend most of the 
time in Switzerland. His general health is in large 
measure restored, in answer to many prayers, and he 
still continues to exercise a general directorate over 
the work. All matters of detail are left in other 
hands, but grave problems affecting the policy and 
well-being of the Mission as a whole, are regularly re- 
ferred to him. Of course, many such problems have 
arisen in connection with the work of reconstruction, 
which is now nearing completion, at the end of 1902. 



CHAPTER Y . 



REORGANIZ ATION . 

Before the work of reconstruction could be com- 
menced, there was necessarily an interval during 
which large numbers of missionaries were gathered at 
the coast. Many naturally availed themselves of the 
opportunity for furlough — both those whose health 
had been seriously injured by the anxiety and trou- 
bles in the north, and those whose vacation was due, 
or nearly due, in point of time or health. A much 
larger number, however, remained at Shanghai, 
where there were gathered during the winter of 
1900, in the China Inland Mission alone, several hun- 
dred missionaries. The opportunity, it need hardly 
be said, was improved for conference and study of 
the Word, and for very earnest prayer, especially 
that God would work all these things together for the 
furtherance of the Gospel. Special meetings were 
held, addressed among others, by Mr. Henry Frost 
and Mr. Walter Sloan, who went out to China on 
purpose, and thus the time was not lost. 

It was well from another point of view that there 
should be this interval for waiting upon God, for the 
problem of reorganization which had now to be faced, 
v/as one of the gravest and most complex which had 
ever come before the leaders of the Mission. 

There were, perhaps, five principal elements in 

407 



408 THESE FORTY TEARS. 

this problem. First of all, as concerned the Church 
itself, what should be said and what should be done 
in the case of those who had denied their faith in 
Christ, and thus, by their own act, severed their con- 
nection with the Church? Due weight, of course, 
would be given to the terrible stress which had driven 
some of the Christians to this expedient. Nothing 
would be gained, however, in the future of the work 
by overlooking the gravity of the step thus taken. 
On the other hand, there was the precedent, the 
authoritative precedent, of the restoration of Peter. 
That would, of course, largely rule the course to be 
taken by the returning missionaries. 

Secondly, came the allied questions of official in- 
demnification for the losses of the Mission and the 
compensation which was due to the native Christians, 
many of whom had lost their all and were without the 
means of commencing life afresh. As to the former, 
there was uncertainty for a time. The government 
of the country had taken action, deliberately, which 
resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dol- 
lars' worth of Mission property. For this they were 
obviously responsible, both morally and legally; and 
while it has been a rule in the China Inland Mission 
never to claim indemnification, it might yet be right 
to accept it under these circumstances, both in view 
of the past and the future. 

This important question was under considera- 
tion for some months. But when the facts began 
to transpire of the shameful and outrageous con- 



REORGANIZATION. ' 409 

duct of soldiers representing Russia and various so- 
called Christian countries, this decided the ques- 
tion. Mr. Hudson Taylor felt that money wrung 
from the Chinese in such a way as this (we purposely 
draw a veil over the revolting details), could not help 
forward the work of God. The Lord does not need to 
use, to accomplish the end He has in view — the 
evangelization of the world — money stained with 
ruthless outrage and the murder of civilians in cold 
blood! "War is bad enough but this was surely de- 
testable. Under these circumstances Mr. Taylor 
cabled to China, and afterwards wrote in more detail, 
that, as a Mission, we would accept no indemnifica- 
tion either for life or property. 

The question of the native Christians, however, 
was different. Their near neighbors had been en- 
riched by their spoliation, under sanction of the cen- 
tral and the local authorities. In common equity, in 
view of their deplorable present condition, and in view 
of the hopelessness of their future, it was absolutely 
necessary that something should be done for them. 
And we may anticipate here that the line of action 
taken was to carefully audit the estimates, encour- 
aging the Christians to manifest a generous and for- 
giving spirit, and rather to underestimate their act- 
ual losses. In many cases their claims were as low as 
fifty per cent, of their actual losses. Mr. Orr-Ewing, 
for instance, wrote from one section of Shan-si that 
he could not conscientiously have asked the Chris- 
tians to accept so little as they claimed and received. 



410 THESE FORTY TEAKS. 

Thirdly, there was a consideration of peculiar sig- 
nificance in a country like China — the missionaries' 
loss of "face." They had been publicly insulted and 
put to shame before the people by the authorities. 
Unless they were publicly and officially reinstated in 
the respect of their neighbors they would continue 
to be at the mercy of every ill-disposed person, and 
would be subject to insult and attack, both at home in 
their stations, and, still more, abroad when traveling. 
The importance of this factor will be easily under- 
stood by all who are acquainted with the Oriental 
and his way of viewing things. All that is up is up 
because it ought to be, and that which is down is down 
by its own demerits. This is the general impression 
in China, and it is easy to understand the gravity of 
the situation from this point of view. 

These three aspects of the problem refer primarily 
to the past, the deplorable past. The other two have 
reference mainly to the future. 

One of these was a new danger. Would the pendu- 
lum of public opinion swing over to the opposite ex- 
treme? When the native Christians were recouped 
for their losses and restored to their homes; when 
the missionaries were reinstated in their rights as 
men and as law-abiding residents, might there not be 
a danger of people seeking to join the Church from 
unworthy motives? What the authorities give out 
goes in China: just as what the papers say goes at 
home, for most, and with equal reason. When the 
local mandarians and gentry combine to welcome 



REORGANIZATION. 411 

back the missionaries, and to express their sorrow for 
the past (which, indeed, many of them deplored 
deeply at the time), there might be a revulsion of 
feeling that would itself constitute a fresh danger 
to the Church by inclining many to seek admission 
without understanding the Truth or undergoing any 
change of heart. Proclamations favorable to Chris- 
tianity and affording protection to church members 
might be misconstrued as a sort of general invitation 
to join the now ascendant cause! 

This new incentive would especially appeal to 
people engaged in lawsuits, who constitute a con- 
siderable proportion of the population. In many 
cases they would imagine that they could obtain a 
"pull" over their opponents by connecting them- 
selves with the Christians. For this impression has 
gained a firm hold in many parts of China, owing to 
the invariable custom of the Roman Catholic priests 
of claiming temporal authority over their converts, 
and the right to interfere on their behalf in legal 
proceedings. As is well known, the attitude of the 
Roman Catholics in this matter has brought down 
upon them the cordial hatred of their neighbors in 
many provinces. There would need then, for this 
reason, to be the greatest possible caution in enrolling 
new inquirers, and afterwards in admitting them to 
membership. 

Fifthly and lastly, the question arises of the meth- 
ods to be adopted in connection with the native 
church. How best shall the capacities of native lead- 



412 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

ers be developed, and the churches made strong and 
aggressive? In the past they had relied too much 
on foreign workers and on foreign funds. The im- 
portance of developing self-supporting and self-pro- 
progating churches throughout the country is increas- 
ingly felt among the missionary community. The 
contrast in 1900 between certain churches which 
stood fast and firm, scarcely losing a member and 
not intermitting once their regular Sunday wor- 
ship, and others which more or less completely suc- 
cumbed under similar surroundings, has greatly em- 
phasized the significance of this point. 

And in this connection one or two other important de- 
tails may be referred to. Mr. Hudson Taylor has drawn 
attention to the fact that one thing probably more than any 
other tends to develop a strong native Church, and that is 
the regular and loyal observance of the Lord's day. "Those 
churches," he said years ago, "where Sabbath observance 
has been faithfully taught and systematically cultivated, 
would stand fast and continue to prosper even if the mis- 
sionaries were withdrawn; but in every case that I have 
had the opportunity of observing, where the Christians have 
been allowed to be lax in this respect, the Church has been 
weak and would in all probability dwindle or disappear if 
the foreigners were to leave." The writer's limited experi- 
ence entirely corroborates this impression. Obedience to 
the will of God in this particular seems to be indispensable, 
if He is to establish any given work. And this the Word 
clearly teaches. The cause may go forward more slowly at 
first, owing to the grave difficulties that surround its faith- 
ful observance in a heathen land like China, but it grows 
more rapidly in the long run, and much more surely and 
strongly. 

The absence of material inducements to attend services 
or join the Church is perhaps an equally important factor 



REORGANIZATION. 413 

in gaining the same slow but sure beginning, followed by- 
strong and steady growth. Where food is provided by the 
missionaries on Sunday for those who attend the services, 
"that they may be able to stay for the afternoon meetings," 
and where tradesmen know that by joining the Church they 
can secure the foreigners' custom, a weak and most dis- 
couraging Church invariably, or almost invariably, results. 
"Loaves and fishes Christians" are worse than none at all. 
The practical importance of these two points is sufficient 
apology for reference to them at this time. 

These five principal considerations, and many 
others also, occupied the time and thoughts, and had 
a large place in the prayers of the Directors and the 
members of the China Council, and have largely 
decided the procedure of the individual missionaries 
ii.. returning to their work. 



CHAPTEE VI. 



RECONSTRUCTION. 

There is a possibility that the terrible happenings 
of 1900 may convey a wrong impression. It is 
natural that the conclusion should suggest itself that 
the Chinese are a fierce and cruel people, whereas 
the fact is exactly the reverse. Under ordinary cir- 
cumstances they are peaceable and hospitable, and 
quick to recognize true worth when it appeals to 
them in a form they can appreciate. Of course, they 
are heathen, and if the statement of the Holy Ghost 
be true, that "the whole world lieth in the Wicked 
One" (believers only excepted), we may not judge of 
them by Christian standards. 

To show how far they are from being sanguinary, 
the two following facts may be adduced. In the 
first thirty-three years of the China Inland Mission, 
including the inauguration of the work throughout 
the interior, with all the special risks of pioneering 
in new districts, not one life was lost by violence. 
And secondly, in the province of Shan-si itself, until 
1900, there had never been a single riot from any 
cause during all the twenty-four years of service 
since the first China Inland Mission workers visited 
the province. Indeed, even then, to the credit of 
Shan-si be it remembered, the dastardly work was 
mostly done by "Boxers," "people of a strange, un- 
couth speech," from the province of Shan-tung, the 

414 



RECONSTRUCTION. 415 

"heavenly soldiers," as they were euphemistically 
called by the terrorized people. 

Before passing from this aspect of the question, it 
is right, also, to refer to the great kindness shown to 
many missionaries by Chinese officials, high and low, 
even at the worst period of the Boxer crisis. At no 
little peril the viceroys of the Yang-tse provinces 
suppressed the imperial proclamations commanding 
the extirpation of foreigners and native Christians, 
and published, on their own responsibility, counter- 
proclamations, protecting the life and property of 
both! But for their commanding influence in the 
country, and the fact that the sequel proved them 
in the right, they would doubtless have paid for their 
generous audacity with their lives. 

At the same time Tuan Fang, the acting governor 
of Shen-si, treated the missionaries of the northwest 
with the greatest consideration and kindness, saving 
the lives of ninety, and going beyond the limits of 
his own territory in affording them protection. In 
addition to supplying them bountifully with travel- 
ing expenses, he refunded money which had been 
seized by robbers, and even went so far as to give 
personal presents to several who specially won his 
admiration and regard. 

These are outstanding instances. Many more could 
be adduced, if space permitted, of similar kindness 
from local officials, some of whom lost valuable posts 
in consequence, posts which it had cost large sums 
of money to secure. 



416 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

The actual work of reopening the stations was 
necessarily gradual. Before the last refugee had left 
Shan-si, work was already resumed in some stations 
in the more accessible provinces. Several, for in- 
stance, were reentered in Cheh-kiang and Kiang-si 
before the close of the disastrous year. Even Chung- 
king, in the West, was reported quiet and peaceable 
by Mr. James, of our Si-ch'uan staff, and reopened 
in December. Glad, indeed, were the Christians to 
welcome him back! 

During the spring the province of Kiang-si was 
pronounced safe for lady workers by the British 
consul-general, and by the end of April work was 
resumed in the principal ladies' stations there. About 
the same time the ladies' stations on the Grand Canal 
were reopened. Great was the joy of the native 
Christians in both of these districts at the return of 
the workers, who were shown great courtesy and 
respect by the local mandarins. 

In May, work was resumed by the men in the far 
northwest, but it was several months before it was 
advisable for ladies to return, on account of the pres- 
ence of the court at Si-an. 

During the same month of May, Mr. Andrew 
Wright revisited the scenes of martyrdom in Che- 
kiang, and reported the people quiet and friendly. 
But one of the most encouraging events of this period 
was the opening, in the early summer, of the capital 
of Hu-nan, so long the most anti-foreign province in 
the empire, by Dr. Keller, of the China Inland Mis- 



RECONSTRUCTION. 417 

siori. It is interesting to know that the "foreign 
office" at the city of Ch'ang-sha rendered the doctor 
every possible assistance in securing a suitable house, 
the mandarin in charge entertaining him meanwhile 
with generous hospitality. 

About the same time, either before or after, a 
visit was paid to this city by the distinguished mis- 
sionary veteran, Dr. Griffith John, of the London 
Mission. He was cordially welcomed by the gover- 
nor, who even lent his own private steam launch to 
take him to an out-station further up the river, and 
to bring him back all the way to Han-kow ! Not long 
after this same official sent Dr. John a very friendly 
letter and his photograph. 

Later in the summer work was recommenced in the 
southwest; in Yun-nan under the experienced leader- 
ship of the Rev. John McCarthy, and in Kuei-chau 
with Mr. Charles T. Fishe as Superintendent. 

But the most important, as well as the most 
onerous work of reconstruction was in Shan-si, and 
this was undertaken by eight missionaries, four be- 
lcnging to other Boards, and four members of the 
China Inland Mission, including Mr. D. E. Hoste, its 
Acting General Director. They arrived at the capi- 
tal of Shan-si ^>n July 9th, exactly a year from the sad 
day of carnage in that city. But to this visit, and 
the official reception, and the public funeral of the 
martyrs which followed, reference will be made 
later. 

In the fall of the yea^ work was resumed in the 

27 



418 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

difficult province of Ho-nan. And before the end 
of 1901, the last of the missionaries to the interior 
had left Shanghai, and work was resumed in most of 
the stations. Permission had even been given for 
lady missionaries to return to work in the five great 
provinces of the west, though not yet in Shan-si. 
Indeed, it was not until the fall of 1902 that it was 
deemed advisable for single ladies to return to that 
province, One of these, who had been home for a 
short furlough after the experiences of 1900, feared 
that her mother might be distressed at the thought 
of her return. "No, indeed, my darling," said the 
noble mother, "if the native Christians have been 
willing to suffer so much for you, the least you can 
do is to return to help and comfort them, now that 
peace is reestablished. I am glad that you should 
return to serve the Lord Jesus there." 

But Ch'ang-sha in Hu-nan was not the only pro- 
vincial capital to be opened after the troubles, and 
as the direct result of the crisis. Ch'ang-sha was 
opened, as we have seen, in the summer of 1901 ; and 
in the following winter Mr. Powell, of the China 
Inland Mission, deeming it wise to take advantage 
of the political reaction, endeavored to open K'ai- 
fung, the capital of Ho-nan in North China. He had 
repeatedly visited the city before, with no apparent 
result: but now, after considerable difficulty and no 
little prayer, succeeded in renting premises. There- 
upon he was visited every day for a week by manda- 
rins, and warned of the unfriendliness of the city, and 



EECONSTEUCTION. 419 

of its undesirability from the point of view of health 
(it is very damp owing to the saline soil) ; one official, 
especially, bringing forth fresh arguments each day 
to persuade the courageous missionary to retire. 

All persuasion failing, this "foreign office" man- 
darin said: "Well, if you must stay, I will do all in 
my power, of course, to protect you." "And will you 
protect my landlord?" inquired Powell, who; had had 
some experience. Hesitating a moment, and realiz- 
ing that this also was his duty, he said, "Yes, I will." 
"Then everything is peaceably settled," replied the 
missionary, somewhat to the amusement and sur- 
prise of the disappointed official. 

Two other important cities were opened about this 
time, in different parts of China. One of them, Yen- 
chau Fu, in Cheh-kiang, was the direct result of 
the martyrdoms in the neighboring district: it had 
been the only unoccupied Fu (or prefectural city) 
in the province. The other, Kuang-sin Fu, in Kiang- 
si, the chief city on the Kuang-sin river, was opened 
by lady missionaries in February, 1902. 

A very important feature of this reconstruction 
period was the public memorial service held at each 
place that had been rendered sacred by martyr blood. 
The first of these was solemnized at Pao-ting Fu, 
within one hundred miles of Pekin, on March 23d 
and 24th, 1901, and the last not until eighteen 
months later (after long negotiation) at Kiu-chau 
in Cheh-kiang. 

The most important of the whole series was that 



4:20 THESE FOETY YEAES. 

held at T'ai-yuan, in July, 1901, where so many pre- 
cious lives had been laid down the year before. This, 
the first of the memorial services in Shan-si, may be 
taken as an example of what occurred, with minor 
modifications, at each center. 

Before the arrival at T'ai-yuan of the returning 
missionaries, when they were yet thirty miles from 
the city, they were welcomed by a company of 
cavalry, in charge of a military mandarin, who, after 
welcoming the missionaries in the name of the gov- 
ernor, inquired at what time he might expect them 
at the capital. Ten miles from the city a larger and 
more imposing company, the governor's bodyguard, 
with banners and trumpets, was added to their escort. 
At the south gate an immense crowd was gathered. 
Here a large pavilion had been erected; a herald 
greeted them "in the name of the Emperor," and 
leading mandarins and city magnates gave them a 
formal and cordial welcome. After a light luncheon, 
presided over by an English-speaking mandarin, they 
entered the city and were conducted to a handsome 
official residence, which had been prepared for their 
use. Here again they were welcomed by high offi- 
cials and leading citizens. After partaking of a feast 
which was awaiting them, return visits were paid 
that day and the next, July 9 th and 10th. But of 
course, the most touching welcome was from the 
native Christians, the joy on whose seamed and 
scarred faces touched the missionaries to the heart. 
A suitable cemetery had already been secured and 



RECONSTRUCTION. 421 

walled in at a beautiful situation, on a hillside over- 
looking the city and the plain. Here the remains of 
the missionaries and children had been interred, each 
grave being marked by a pedestal surmounted by a 
cross, in appropriate recognition of the cause in which 
they fell. 

After all the arrangements were complete, on July 
18th, a memorial service was held, attended by most 
of the principal dignitaries, on the very spot where 
the martyrs were beheaded. Then the procession 
started, headed by the mandarins, for whom the way 
was cleared by outrunners beating gongs; next came 
the funeral wreaths presented by the officials and 
gentry, two hundred foot soldiers and fifty cavalry; 
then the foreigners, in four-bearer chairs of state, 
and native Christians, followed by nineteen large red 
satin banners inscribed with the names of the mar- 
tyrs in gold; then more Christians, and last of all, 
another small company of soldiers. The slow, solemn 
procession took three hours to reach the new ceme- 
tery. Here a laudatory address in memoriam, by the 
governor, was read by a mandarin; a salaam was 
made by the officials before the graves, and then 
followed a Christian service, led by Mr. Hoste. 

It was a sad day for the missionaries, but one for 
which they and the native Christians were profoundly 
thankful as thev looked forward to the future. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE PRESENT CONDITION. 

Missionary operations have now been resumed all 
over China, very few of the stations remaining closed 
at the end of 1902. As to the present condition of 
the work, the following facts will aid in forming an 
opinion : 

As early as April, 1901, it was possible to report 
at the home headquarters: "From the missionary 
point of view, the position of affairs in China is, we 
think, steadily improving. A considerable number 
of our missionaries have returned to their stations 
and more are returning. . . . The native Chris- 
tians are delighted to have our brethren back. In 
some places . . . the welcome to the returning 
missionaries was overwhelmingly joyful. 

"A cheery feature in the condition of things, as 
regards the Church in China, is, that during the en- 
forced absence of the missionaries the work has not 
sustained so serious a check as might naturally have 
been expected, excepting, of course, in the province 
of Shan-si. . . . The native Christians have 
themselves been carrying on the work, and we hear 
that in some places not only has there been no back- 
ward movement, but on the contrary the tendency 
has been to go forward." 

422 



THE PRESENT CONDITION. 423 

Of course, during the Boxer troubles, a large num- 
ber of missionaries had gone home on furlough. 
Their work was at a standstill and many of them ur- 
gently needed rest, and it was important that as soon 
as work could be resumed the missionaries should be 
fresh and ready for strenuous service. 

Within a year of the "Reign of Terror" we read 
that "tranquillity is being restored throughout 
China." The leaders of the Mission in China cabled 
home accordingly for the missionaries on furlough to 
return. 

By this time, mid-summer, 1901, the premises in 
Shanghai, which had been so crowded in the winter, 
had resumed their normal condition. (The additional 
temporary homes which had to be rented in the fall 
of 1900, had all been closed, of course, for months.) 
And from far and near the returning missionaries 
were sending in encouraging tidings of the churches. 
The local mandarins had officially welcomed them on 
their return, always with courtesy and in most cases 
with marked cordiality. Indeed, in many places they 
were accorded quite an ovation ! 

The following extracts, taken from a large number 
of similar reports, will be of interest as throwing light 
on the condition of things during the six, nine, or 
twelve months of the missionaries' absence : 

Taking them in the order in which work was resumed, 
we hear from Cheh-kiang: "In the midst of all the trouble 
last year, Pastor Ren had many applications for baptism. 
In July he baptized four, in September three, and at the 
end of the year six. All of these came into the Church 



424 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

ready for, and in fact expecting, persecution. Thank God 
for such a work!" This was at Hang-chau. 

From Kiang-si Mr. William Taylor, of Kih-an, re- 
ported: "All the Christians, though persecuted and threat- 
ened, remained faithful." At Kwei-k'i, in the same prov- 
ince: "The Christians are very bright, with few excep- 
tions." This is the most important and the most successful 
of the chain of ladies' stations on the Kuang-sin river. "At 
Yuh-shan, another very encouraging ladies' station, on our 
arrival, we found to our surprise that the house had been 
cleaned and put in order. . . . The spirit of love and 
unity among the four native Christians who were in re- 
sponsibility during our absence is beautiful. They have 
been of one mind and heart all the time. . . . It is so 
clear that the Lord .... has given them a love for 
souls and a burning desire to do His work that they never 
had before." 

In the next province west, Hu-nan, we hear from the 
comparatively new station of Ch'en-chau, from Mr. Bruce 
(since martyred): "Everything seems to be running 
smoothly here. The Sabbath services continue to be well 
attended. Among others whose interest in spiritual things 
seems to be deepening I might mention Mr. Liu, a school- 
teacher." 

From Si-ch'uan, still farther west, Mr. James had 
been able to telegraph as early as December, 1900, that 
the native Christians at Chung-king had been greatly re- 
joiced at the commencing return of their missionary 
friends. Two or three months later, from the capital, 
Ch'en-tu, we hear: "The natives did not know of my com- 
ing, and it was a welcome surprise that morning when 
I walked in. Each one vied with the other in showing 
their joy over my return. The converts had all stood firm 
and loyal to their profession, and now they are less liable 
to fall away than before." 

From the central province of An-huei we read: "On 
arrival here the service was going on in the chapel. Liu of 
Siang-hsien was leading. There was great joy on seeing 
us. The Christians were all present. The people seemed 



THE PRESENT CONDITION. 425 

friendly." This was at Chen-yang-kuan. From Ning-kuoh, 
in the same province, we read: "The Christians have, on 
the whole, done well." 

Most of the above reports were sent in during the first 
three months of 1901. A little later we hear from one of 
the far northwestern provinces: "The meetings have been 
kept up very well, and many new inquirers have been added. 
Two have been allured by the 'golden pill' to join the 
Roman Catholics." (Han-chong.) 

About this time it became practicable to resume work 
in the distracted province of Shan-tung, where the Boxer 
movement had its inception. The governor of this province 
had sought to help the native Christians in 1900, so far as 
he dared, by suggesting a "purely nominal" recantation, 
which was to be made by some leading member on behalf 
of each church. In this way he had hoped to avoid the diffi- 
culty of dealing with individuals, some of whom might re- 
fuse to recant. This enlightened statesman, Yuan Shi-k'ai, 
now did all he could to make amends for the deplorable 
past, and issued a proclamation so favorable to Christianity 
that it has often been spoken of as the "Magna Charta of 
Protestant Missions in Shan-tung." 

When at last, in the summer of 1901, it was possible for 
missionaries to return to Shan-si, not only was it a pa- 
thetic experience to be on the spot where so many foreign 
and native Christians had suffered and fallen, but it was 
sad also by reason of the many who, under terrible pressure, 
had recanted. Happily, the leaders of the Church were the 
first to recognize the gravity of the mistake they had made, 
and with deep humiliation and tears to make confession of 
their sin to God. After a time of conference and prayer 
with the most prominent pastors and elders, Mr. Hoste ap- 
pointed a committee of native Christians — men conspicuous 
for their piety, trustworthiness, and sound common sense — 
to prepare an estimate of losses at each station, with a 
view to compensation; the whole work being under the 
oversight and superintendence of duly appointed leaders. 
Although, as we have seen, not a few in this province had 
accepted the tokens of recantation, most of them, it was 



426 THESE FOETY YEARS. 

found, had not really gone back, but were still true to the 
Lord in purpose and in life. For this, heartfelt thanksgiv- 
ing went up to God. 

In the autumn of 1901 work was resumed in Ho-nan, 
and the following reports, which had been previously sent 
in by leading church members, proved to be correct. In 
spite of very bitter persecution, "only one woman had gone 
back" at Siang-hsien. "We were enabled to meet to- 

gether for worship just as usual and to keep the Sabbath. 
Although a few of the women were timid, after a little ex- 
hortation they took courage. The mandarin had issued an 
order that all Christians should enter their names, saying 
that they were willing to recant, and he would protect 
them. Not one of the members, however, was willing to do 
so; they sought to serve the Lord with greater earnestness 
than ever. For this we do praise God!" (Ch'en-chau.) 
"They met regularly on the Sabbath day to worship God." 
(T'ang-li, Ch'en-chau out-station.) "We have been enabled 
to meet together in Ko Lao-siang's house every Sunday 
since you left, to worship God." Another letter says that 
shortly after the missionaries had left, the city was in an 
uproar, noisy crowds clamoring for the lives of the Chris- 
tians; but, it being Sunday, they met in this brother's 
house for public worship, and expounded the Scriptures, 
united in prayer and "sang the praises of God with a loud 
voice, and were not afraid." (T'ai-kang). 

Much more of a similar nature might easily be 
added, but this will suffice to show that through a 
time of unparalleled trial and persecution the native 
Church, as a whole, had stood firm. A few tares had 
been weeded out here and there: but by far the 
greater part had proved to be a the good seed of the 
Kingdom." The churches, slightly diminished in 
numbers, had been greatly strengthened in purity. 
Even in Shan-si the most prominent of all the native 



THE PRESENT CONDITION. 42 7 

Christians, Elder Hsii, stated : "Thank the Lord, the 
Church of God is in the most hopeful condition, and 
there are signs of great interest and prosperity. 
Wherever we preach, the people are willing to listen 
to the Gospel : and what is better still, numbers have 
given up idolatry and are worshiping God. There 
are, moreover, signs of advance in the Church also." 
He goes on to give details of the generous gifts of 
the Christians toward rebuilding the churches. All 
had given a tenth, and some even a fifth of their 
compensation, which had been based on very mod- 
erate estimates. "Best of all, there are some who are 
serving the Lord with intense earnestness. Praise 
the Lord, the sufferings of 1900 have been a great 
blessing to the Church. The good are truly like gold 
that has been refined in the lire, while the worth- 
lessness of the bad has become manifest. . . . 'All 
things work together for good to them that love God/ 
is certainly true!" 

One more statement must be added to complete this 
brief review of the conditions on the field. On 
November 20th, 1901, Bishop Cassels, of the West 
China Episcopal Diocese, wrote to the Mission head- 
quarters as follows : "There is a great movement 
towards Christianity spreading over this district, and 
there are many open doors. Scores of idols have 
been destroyed; hundreds of taels have been given 
toward preparing churches to meet in, and large 
numbers of Bibles have been bought; and now the 
people are begging me to send preachers to teach 



428 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

them. The matter is urgent. There is no time to 
be lost. The flood tide is just coming in. . . . If we 
seem to turn a deaf ear to the present appeals for 
help, the people's hearts will harden, and they will 
grow careless again. . . . We must strike while the 
iron is hot, 

"I have just returned from a forty-five days' jour- 
ney into eleven different counties, covering about 
1,000 miles. In twenty or thirty places I have met 
with companies of people, numbering from a little 
handful up to one or two hundred, who desired to 
enter the Church, and who have in some places been 
most importunate in their entreaties that I would 
send them missionaries. My native catechist was 
almost forcibly detained in several places, so anxious 
were the people to have a preacher. 

"Is it not a sad picture ? Churches prepared, peo- 
ple with Bibles in their hands, ready to be taught, 
and glad to kneel in prayer to God. (Oh, what a 
contrast with past years !) And yet no one to go 
and preach to them !" 

Assurances have since been received that the above 
is largely true of the remainder of Si-ch'uan; and, 
indeed, with minor modifications, it describes the con- 
dition of things in many parts of the empire. 

If the present condition of affairs in China means 
anything, it surely means — that the time is come 
for the Church of God to GO FOKWAKD. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 



THE OUTLOOK. 

Are there any data available "by which an estimate 
may be formed as to the possible future of China 
from the Christian point of view? Anything ap- 
proaching a mathematical certainty is, of course, out 
of the question, but there are several facts that may 
help in forming an opinion. 

First and foremost of these is the steady progress 
w T hich has been made in the work. During the last 
quarter of the old century there was a regular in- 
crease in the Protestant Church in China at the rate 
of ten or twelve per cent, every year. And this re- 
sulted in a Christian community, at the close of the 
nineteenth century, of a quarter of a million,* in- 
cluding church members, applicants for fellowship 
and children of believers. It is easy to see that, if 
this progress is maintained, the first quarter of the 
twentieth century will see a marked change come 
over the face of China, and there are many reasons 
for hoping that this ratio will not only be maintained 
but increased. Be that as it may, a simple calcula- 
tion will show that at the old rate of progress 
(doubling each eight years, as it did during the last 



♦See also Warneck, quoted in appendix to "Martyred 
Missionaries," on page 323, footnote. 

429 



430 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

quarter of a century), in twenty-four years from now 
the Protestant community will number two millions. 
God grant that it may! That would be one in two 
hundred of the entire population, instead of about 
one in twelve thousand, as it was just twenty-five 
years ago. And yet some people say that Christian- 
ity is not overtaking heathenism! 

Hand in hand with christianization will, of course, 
go education and material progress. A Christian 
community of two millions, including many of the 
most enlightened and most highly educated and 
thoughtful people in the country, would obviously 
go far toward forming the public opinion. 

Of course there is a prior question. Will the 
present dispensation run on another five and twenty 
years? And this no man can say. But if our Lord 
should return sooner than some of His people expect, 
what could please Him better than to find His dis- 
ciples earnestly working for and accomplishing the 
evangelization of China ? For a Christian community 
of two millions would not only mean that that number 
had been brought into the Fold, but also that the 
remaining one hundred and ninety-nine of each two 
hundred would also have heard, or at least have had 
a chance of hearing, of the Way of Life as it is in 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Seeing then that a literal compliance with the de- 
sire of our Saviour Friend is so easily within the lim- 
its of practical missionary politics, why should not 



THE OUTLOOK. 431 

the Church of Christ unite, earnestly and deter- 
minedly, to cause Hini to "see of the travail of His 
soul and be satisfied ?" 

We are His. We live to serve Him. The very 
reason of our existence is that we may "glorify Him" 
now "and enjoy Him forever." Since this is what 
He bids us do, and what is actually being accom- 
plished before our eyes, ought we not all of us to 
take some share in the uplifting of this most popu- 
lous and most potent of the heathen races of the 
earth? 

There are other indications, also, which point in 
the same direction. The present attitude of the 
government is not comparable with anything that 
has been witnessed in the past. The uniform cour- 
tesy and friendliness of mandarins all over the em- 
pire (with rare exceptions) proves, beyond a doubt, 
that this is the accepted policy of the government. 
There never has been such an opportunity before. 

The war indemnity tax is, of course, an adverse 
element in the problem. Decimated by the foreign 
forces in the northeast and by the Mohammedan 
rebellion in the northwest, desolated by famine 
throughout the northern provinces, and at the best 
of times one of the poorest of all civilized peoples — 
necessarily so on account of the density of the popu- 
lation — this indemnity is pressing, and will press, 
much more heavily than is realized by the Western 
world. And this burden is greatly increased by the 
rapacity of the native officials through whose hands 



432 THESE FORTY YEAKS. 

the taxes have to pass. Even in ordinary times the 
normal land tax for governmental purposes presses 
heavily enough. But the interest on three hundred 
million dollars, together with a sinking fund of one 
fortieth of the principal, will be a heavy burden, in- 
deed, and one that will be apt to create unrest and 
discontent among the people. That this is a very 
serious element of the question cannot be denied. 
The government understands, however, that there is 
nothing to do but to pay, and will probably do all in 
its power to maintain friendly relations. 

Another grave element in the situation is the ex- 
travagant compensation demanded by the Roman 
Catholics all over the empire. And more serious still 
is their settled policy of claiming temporal power and 
civil authority over their adherents. This is con- 
stantly bringing them into collision with the native 
officials, who cannot but resent such continued inter- 
ference with the process of the law. 

Judged from the human standpoint, it is greatly 
to be regretted that two of China's most enlightened 
statesmen should have passed away at this juncture. 
On November 7th, 1901, His Excellency Li Hung- 
chang, for many years the prime minister of China, 
died, and within a year he was followed by the en- 
lightened viceroy of ISTanldn, His Excellency Liu 
K'un-i. In them China lost two of her safest and 
wisest advisers, and the Foreign Powers the assist- 
ance of two diplomats who knew, better than most of 
their countrymen, the value of peace and the ruinous 



THE OUTLOOK. 433 

costliness of war. Happily they are succeeded by two 
men equally alive to the gravity of the present situa- 
tion, and the necessity of maintaining amicable rela- 
tions with the West. Their Excellencies Chang Chih- 
tung and Yuan Shi-k'ai, may be trusted to do all in 
their power to avoid further trouble. 

Among many other signs of the enlightened and 
progressive policy that has now been adopted by 
China may be mentioned the following : 

Among the articles of the Peace Protocol, signed at 
Pekin on September 6th, 1901, is one promising that the 
Chinese government will post in every county town in the 
empire, edicts: (a) Prohibiting perpetually membership in 
an anti-foreign society, under pain of death; (&) enumer- 
ating the punishments inflicted by the government on 
princes, officials, and others (including the death sentence 
on ex-Governor Yu-hsien); (c) suppressing examinations 
for five years in all towns where foreigners have been ill- 
treated or killed; (d) declaring provincial and local officials 
responsible in the event of further trouble. 

In the spring of 1901 the highest officials in China, vice- 
roys and governors, were commanded to report on the Em- 
peror's reform edicts of 1898. They agreed to recommend, 
among others, the following improvements: (a) Princes and 
nobles should study abroad; (&) students of good family 
must study abroad before becoming officials; (c) all the 
examinations need to be thoroughly revised; (d) more 
schools and colleges are required; (e) the Imperial Post 
should be extended over the whole empire; (f) the silver 
dollar should be made the universal legal tender. (These 
should be adopted immediately; mining laws, etc., should 
follow.) 

So recently as September 5th, 1902, a commercial treaty 
was signed with England, among the articles of which are: 
(a) China will protect British trade-marks; (&) will permit 
removal of obstructions to navigation on upper Yang-tse 



434 THESE FORTY YEARS. 

(above I-chang); (c) will provide a uniform national cur- 
rency; (d) will abolish li-kin (a most galling inter-state 
customs tax) ; (e) will energetically amend existing rules for 
inland navigation; (f) desires to reform her judicial system 
in accordance with that of Western nations. 

In addition to the above may be mentioned the 
Anglo-Japanese treaty, which was concluded on Jan- 
ary 30th, 1902, and which should go far to maintain 
peace in the Orient, backed up strongly, as it is, by 
the community of interest of the United States. For 
the principal end in view in the agreement is the 
maintenance of (a) the integrity of the Chinese Em- 
pire, and (b) an "open door" to the commerce of the 
world. 

These things being so — the country being more 
open for evangelization than ever before, the gov- 
ernment and officials being more conciliatory and 
earnestly desirous for progress and reform, and being 
for the most part as friendly toward Protestant mis- 
sionaries as one could reasonably expect, and the peo- 
ple being so ready to listen to the "new teaching" of 
Christianity, including the scholarly classes hitherto 
so inaccessible — it is surely incumbent upon all who 
love the Lord Jesus Christ to do what they can to 
improve the present priceless opportunity while it 
lasts. 

To be as practical as possible, it is suggested that 
the reader should set aside, without delay, a conveni- 
ent time, either longer or shorter, to wait upon God, 
asking, "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?" 




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